Parallel Lives
by Nodoka Miyazawa
Summary: Parallel lines run side by side, everyone knows that. Sometimes lives can be lived in parallel too - never separating, but never growing closer. So imagine the confusion when the seemingly impossible happens. When Parallel lives meet...
1. Chapter 1

Hi, Nodoka here. It's been a while, but I think it's time I started a new fic. Just a little information on where this fic picks up – it begins early May, 2000, after Keitaro's confession to Naru in hospital (which was not reciprocated, as I'm sure everyone can remember) and his subsequent release, but before Naru goes on field trip to Kyoto and Tsuruko first arrives on the scene.

It always seemed to me that these four weeks or so passed pretty much without comment – odd, given the slightly strained situation which was bound to be noticed by the other residents. Not to mention how it feels to be well and truly shot down......so, what would happen if something had tipped the balance? Especially if a couple of members of the Hinata-sou possessed a few secrets which would change their way of thinking.

But it's been too long for me to keep yakking, and I imagine that most people have skipped to the start of the chapter anyway. Just want to quickly say thanks to Rach and Bob for their help, and also to Cizzymac for writing a cracking fic which kept me entertained for many an hour whilst on hiatus.

So, on with the fic.

Disclaimer – All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece is written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fic.

* * *

* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 1

* * *

* * *

Parallel.

A word which seems so simple, but is deceptively complex. It is one which speaks of togetherness, yet simultaneously of distance. For even though lines moving in parallel move together ever onwards, they can never, ever meet.

Lives can be lived in parallel, often happily so. Knowing there is someone who is close by, someone who can be relied upon when help is needed can be a comfort to many. However, to a few, living in parallel with another is a fate akin to a life sentence.

Because the distance between them will never disappear.

So it was with a certain violet-eyed girl called Shinobu Maehara. The smallest and most placid of her peers – those being the residents of the Hinata-Sou dormitory – and hence 'protected' from the fate she wished for with all her being. Forced into a path alongside the man she desired through the good intentions of others, held at arms length for her own apparent benefit. And whilst her desires were strong, the grip of others upon her was stronger still, never allowing her to close the infinitesimal space between herself and a bespectacled Ronin who had little idea of his position in her affections.

But…..what would happen if something had changed? Something to tip the balance even a shred, to diminish her loyalty to her peers, or to elevate Keitaro even more highly in her regard? Enough to make the desire pushing her closer stronger than the hands holding her back?

What would people make of it when the impossible happened?

When parallel lives meet……

* * *

* * *

It had been a long, long few weeks.

Far longer than any weeks should take to pass, in Keitaro's opinion. Not that anyone ever asked for it, but if anyone _had_ enquired of the ex-ronin as to how long each week of the previous four had taken to pass, he would (after staring into space through puzzled brown eyes which secretly wondered why you were asking) have told you at least two months.

Each.

Not much to do, in truth, when you're laid up with a leg that looks like it's been hit by a car, mangled by a thresher and then given a good steam rolling to boot. Boredom sets in pretty quickly, even for someone who is a dreamer by nature.

Try being a dreamer who'd found the aforementioned dreams smashed and beaten in the same manner as his aforementioned leg.

Resting back against his pillows with a long sigh, Keitaro wished for the seven-thousandth time that when the Tokyo-U dome had fallen, it had either missed him completely or done a much better job of crushing him beyond recognition. Staring blankly at the sight above him, the probable ex-ex-ronin wished he hadn't.

The ceiling board hadn't moved in the weeks he had been home, not once. In his heart of hearts, even with the way things were between them, Keitaro hoped that Naru cared enough to check on him once.

Just _once._

But no.

Not a single occasion.

Anything would have been nice. Even the sight of a pair of spectacles glinting at him as she berated him for missing his first term. A bit of simple scorn would have filled a hole. Hell, Keitaro was even beginning to miss the patented Naru-punch.

Well, maybe he wouldn't go _that_ far…..

But whatever the case, the last genuine memory the man-with-one-leg had of the girl of his dreams was her retreating back. Retreating from…..

'No'. Keitaro swore mentally. 'I'm not going there again.'

The problem was that, in truth, he had nowhere else left to go. Despite the hindrance of a caretaker with a leg in a cast the Hinata-sou was, internally at least, the best it had looked in ages. Wooden floors shone like glass, not a cobweb could be found in the nookiest of nooks or the most cranny of crannies, and the hot springs were a joy to behold. Getting into the aforementioned springs was another matter, Motoko having to (peacefully) deter the man from polishing the boards any more after the fifth bruised buttock sustained from stepping on slippery decking with wet feet.

So all the work was done, to a standard even the most stringent hotelier would applaud. And while it was true that some of the exterior needed painting (Haruka and Motoko had seriously chewed him out when they found him trying it) sensible limits had been set. And fulfilled.

For the first time in forever, the Hinata-Sou's Kanrinin had genuinely nothing to do. Even the workbooks stacked upon his shelves were useless – all the knowledge they contained was on how to get _in_ to University. Now he actually _had….._

So he had absolutely nothing to do but think.

And, try as he might, the same old thoughts wormed their way into his mind. It was like trying to defy the mists with a hand-held fan, or defeat shadows with a single torch. Even when they weren't visible, they were still there. Just waiting for the chance to approach when you, inevitably, turned away.

Then they came.

Relentless as the tide.

As every road leads to Rome, every avenue Keitaro's mind took somehow led him back to the same place. The moment the die was cast, and came up zero.

It had to be the most difficult response to receive. Approval, denial, rejection – all of them he could reconcile with, at least after a fashion. But nothing? Nothing at all? What did that mean?

It meant nothing.

With teeth gritted, the Kanrinin slipped the pillow from beneath his head and buried his face in it, willing the world to just go and do something else. To leave him alone for a while, so he could forget.

Just a few hours would be enough……

……It was unfortunate for the man that he chose that moment to blot out his vision; had he not he may just have seen the board that made part of his ceiling tilt open briefly, just for a few seconds. Taking the sight below, and the muffled noises emanating through the pillow, the viewer gave a tiny sigh before allowing the board to fall silently back into place.

* * *

* * *

Mitsune Konno had more vices than the average workshop. At the present moment in time she was currently indulging in two of them – those being manager-bating and swindling. It was a simple act to combine them; all she needed to do was perch on Keitaro's lap and push herself (in every way conceivable) into the man's face.

She'd taken candy from this baby enough times to alert the Child Protection Services. And had no intention of stopping.

"So, you gonna cut me that slack, Kei-kun? 'Cause if ya do, I could let a few things hang loose meself, y'know?" The focus of her attention was sweating nervously, unsure whether he wanted an interruption or not. Interruption would stop proceedings going any further than it already had, but it was a toss-up whether the interrupter would consider the current situation worthy of punishment.

"I-I can't Kitsune-san. I'm behind on this month's collection as it is." True enough. Problem was, Mitsune Konno really didn't care.

"Ah, c'mon! I don't want much, just 'til the end of the week." Sliding closer, the sliver-blonde grinned foxily as she felt her target tremble. She only needed another tiny nudge, she knew. "If ya really want, I could ask real, _real nice….._" Predicable as a house of cards in the breeze, Keitaro folded.

"Um, you don't need to do that Kitsune-san. I can wait until the end of the week." Staring into the mortified face before her from barely millimetres away, the fox-girl felt a tiny and unholy tingle run the length of her spine.

Oh yes. She was _good._

"Ta very much, Kei-san. Ah'll make it up to ya, promise." Sliding off her perch (and hearing a barely-smothered groan as she did) Kitsune slunk over to her favoured chair in preparation for the next horse race. The Three-Ten at Yuma was due off any second, and she had a 'hot' tip.

"Ugh. What a disgraceful display." Motoko groused, entering from the kitchen. "Honestly, do you have no shame Mitsune-san?"

"Not when it comes to making a buck or five. Or ten. Or, well, you get it right?" Glancing at the stiffly-posed kendoist, the girl snickered quietly. "Y'know, if ya took the sword outta where it's holstered an' loosened up once in a while ya might understand."

"Not all of us come devoid of morals." Motoko ground out, before rounding on the one-legged man so quickly he jumped. Hopped. Or something. "And you Urashima-san, do you possess no spine?"

"Ah…..guess not Motoko-san." Keitaro weakly offered, quailing beneath Motoko's flinty gaze.

"Humph. At least you have the honesty to admit as such. Sometimes I wonder if you are a man at all….." Ignoring a visible wince from the target of her ire, Motoko announced her intention to hone her swordsmanship and strode away up the staircase, leaving Mitsune clutching a ticket stub and Keitaro really really wishing he had a distraction.

It turned out he didn't have to wait long.

"Um, Sempai?" Glancing up, Keitaro matched gazes with the one ray of light in his decidedly gloomy world. It was a light that only flickered on when it didn't think anyone was looking, and had a habit of going 'eep' when he thanked it a little too vigorously, but all the same Keitaro valued it like the last glowing coal in a dying fire.

"Shinobu-chan?" The girl in question smiled prettily, a hint of flush creeping onto her cheeks.

"I thought you might like some tea Sempai."

Keitaro never got the chance to answer as the front door announced the entrance of another house mate.

"Kitsune-chan, you're not wasting your money on horses again?" Naru sighed in exasperation. "The last time you had a winner they had to send the cheque by telegram."

"Nah. Today's the day Naru-chan!" The sliver-haired girl cheered, waving a ticket in the air.

"Yeah, same as yesterday. And the day before….." Belatedly realising more people were in the room, Naru's honey eyes flicked up briefly to take in the pair across from her. They paused for a split-second, before she decided to take her usual path through such situations.

Pretend they didn't exist.

"…..Well, don't forget the five-hundred you owe me." Tapping her friend on the shoulder, the girl made to leave before pausing. "Oh, and have you been in my room? Someone's moved my rug, I was wondering if it was you."

"Nah, not guilty." Mitsune easily replied, eyes fixed solely on the television before her.

"Ah. Well, rest assured that I'll be keeping an eye out from now on….." Leaving the threat openly echoing in the room (aimed at people that weren't there, obviously) Naru vanished away up the stairwell.

Silence reigned, excepting the tinny commentary pouring from the television.

"…..Sempai?" Shinobu looked on with worry creasing her brow as Keitaro stared into the middle distance. It took what seemed like an age for him to crawl out from whatever stone he'd hidden under when his erstwhile love interest had strode into the room, and when he did he had no interest in tea.

"Uh, no thanks Shinobu-chan." Pushing himself up in one (semi) fluid motion, the man grasped the crutches placed beside his chair and slipped one beneath each arm. "I've got some decking that needs tidying up, so I can't sit about all day. I wonder if there's any varnish left over from the last job?" Spinning on his good heel, the man turned to make his exit.

"Sempai." Shinobu didn't shout, or even raise her voice. But something in the voice stopped Keitaro dead.

"Shinobu-chan?"

"Sempai, a-are you….." Suddenly realising she had an audience including her long-time crush and a slightly despondent looking Kitsune, the petite teen's bravery fled in an instant.

"Oh, don't worry about me Shinobu-chan." Patting the girl paternally on the head (something that made her squirm in displeasure) Keitaro pogoed his way out of the front door with surprising speed, sliding the door shut with a crutch as he did.

Shinobu and Mitsune stared at the closed portal.

"Ah, damn. Another loss." Turning back to the television, the silver-haired vixen crumpled the now worthless betting slip in her hand. "Well, nothin' for it. Time for some TV-therapy!" Flicking over to a nondescript soap opera, Mitsune relaxed back with a sigh, already engrossed.

Shinobu blink-blinked.

"Ah, Kitsune-san? Don't you think that was a bit harsh?"

"What?" Craning her head up, the professional layabout regarded Shinobu though her slitted eyes. "Whatcha mean?"

"I mean……Naru. And Sempai. And, uh….." The girl trailed off, nervous beneath a calculating gaze.

"Nah. Not really. I guess our beloved Kanrinin has done something to piss Naru off. Again." Returning her gaze to the moving pictures in front of her, the fox shrugged lazily. "Nothing unusual 'bout that."

"It's just, well, wrong. Something isn't making sense."

"It'll blow over. Always does." Kitsune said idly, clearly more interested in the screen than the conversation. "Much as I like the guy, Naru's way outta his league. He's got a lotta work ta do before he'll be on the level with her. Part ah that is penance, an' he's just in the middle of another session. He'll be fine, betcha." With that, the girl returned her attention to the box, considering the case closed.

Shinobu gaped at the back of the silver-blonde's head.

It took the schoolgirl a good few minutes to mechanically make her way back to the kitchen, mind spinning. Back in her place of familiarity, she clutched tightly onto the nearest worktop and stared at the nondescript pattern upon it.

'_Have you no backbone, Urashima-san?'_

The fingers tightened their grip.

'_Part ah that is penance, an' he's just in the middle of another session. He'll be fine, betcha.'_

Why was it so easy to ignore someone's misery? Just on the assumption that it would go away, the way it had every time before. More times than she'd cared to count.

He'd never ignored theirs……

_Naru's silent rebuttal, more effective than words could ever be._

It was extremely lucky for the china population of Shinobu's kitchen that they were all out of sight, as they were all in mortal danger at this moment in time. Violet eyes searched out for something, anything, to vent a feeling she'd never really come across before.

Fury.

How the hell had it come to this? Was the rest of the world blind? He never said a word, but then again why should he have to? But no, everyone else in the Hinata-sou went about their everyday business, either unaware or uncaring.

The floors were too shiny, the hedges too severely trimmed. The smiles were too wide. History suggested that what was meant to happen was for Keitaro to float about, miserable as a duck in an oil slick, making it clear to anyone and everyone how sorry he was. Then all would be forgiven. The end.

Until the next chapter.

Not this time.

What really got to Shinobu was the way that everyone just went on with their everyday lives, waiting for their Kanrinin to pick himself up and dust himself off.

What really _really_ got to Shinobu was the way that he tried to do just that, or at least appear to. Played the usual role with the usual lines, as if living the part, believing the act to be real. At least she got rounds of thanks and platitudes galore for each meal she put hours into, even if they were mechanical from time to time. But not once had anyone mentioned to Keitaro how nice the grounds looked, or how spotless the place had become.

Shinobu felt sick.

Herself apart, who cared?

Well, everyone in truth.

But who demonstrated it?

No-one. Kaolla did in a way, but it was a way that required a masochistic streak to appreciate it. If only the little Molmolian realised it…..But then again everyone was guilty.

Including her.

Shinobu very nearly _was_ sick.

Stood on her own, passing judgement on all and sundry, when she was culpable as anyone. Such as only moments ago, how much would it have taken to stand up and demand Naru's attention? Or actually ask Keitaro how he was?

Such a coward……

Hissing between her teeth, the girl set to work on the evening meal while swearing not to make the same mistakes again.

* * *

* * *

Naru frowned in puzzlement.

The room was off-kilter, again. Hard to say what it was, but something wasn't quite right. Nothing was missing, broken or messy. In fact, the whole place was almost too tidy, as if whoever was coming in was so meticulous at replacing anything moved that they left the place neater than they found it.

This narrowed the potential candidates down quite a bit.

Only two residents were that good. Kaolla was irreverent, Naru had no doubt furniture would be anywhere and everywhere if she'd decided to visit. Mitsune was too sloppy. Someone would have noticed were Haruka in the building that often. And Keitaro was just too clumsy to do it, especially on one leg.

Naru was unsure whether she was relieved or disappointed it wasn't him.

That left two.

And Naru had no doubt that Motoko would be direct if she wanted something. The thought of the swordswoman slipping in and out of the room in secret was utterly preposterous. So, ridiculous as it seemed, elimination left Shinobu. Again, what purpose she had actually _doing_ so was beyond her reasoning, but the logic seemed conclusive.

Hence the University student reaching out to rap knuckles on her younger friend's door.

"Come in!" Obeying the summons, Naru slipped the door open to see the purple-haired teen knelt on her futon, folding a piece of paper with a slight furrow to her brow. Wedging it securely into the waistband of her blue skirt the schoolgirl looked up at her, eyes not entirely welcoming. Something that confirmed Naru's thoughts straight away.

"Hi Shinobu-chan."

"Good evening, Naru-san." Again, the tone was slightly too clipped. Deciding that bush-beating was something she wasn't very good at, Naru slid the door closed behind her and stepped forward.

"Can I ask you something Shinobu-chan?"

"Ask away."

"Why do you keep coming into my room?"

Ironically, at that very second, a pin dropped. Both girls heard it, but paid it no mind.

"I'm sorry, Naru-san? Your room?" Shinobu cocked her head, genuinely confused.

"Yes. Someone keeps coming into my room, and it can't be anyone else. It's all just a bit too…..neat." Naru stated plainly, hands on hips.

Cue blank stare.

"Naru-san, why on earth would I want to go into your room except on laundry day?"

"I've got no idea. That's why I'm asking." At the accusing tone, Shinobu started to look a little bit…..cross.

"Then maybe you should ask yourself why it's such a sure thing I'm sneaking into your room. Do you think I'm something weird, like an obsessive-compulsive cleaner who can't stand the thought of mess behind closed doors?"

For a split-second Naru appeared to actually consider it. Shinobu didn't like that either.

"You don't really?!"

"No. No no nonono, not at all! I just don't see how it could be……anyone else……" At about this moment the brunette seemed to realise how ridiculous she sounded.

"Right." Her host said crisply, standing quickly and smoothing her long skirt down. "Now, I have somewhere I need to be. If you would excuse me."

"Uh, I'm so-" Naru never got the chance to finish as Shinobu swept past her and pulled the door open, before turning on her heel and giving her a more intense glare than she'd expected.

"Leave." Taken aback, Naru found herself in the hallway before she remembered moving.

The door shut behind her with something approaching a slam.

Blinking slowly, Naru waited for her mind to catch up. When she eventually regained the ability to speak, she summed up the situation quite succinctly.

"What the _hell?_"

* * *

* * *

Inside the room Shinobu glared at the closed portal for a few seconds, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"How dare she….." The girl muttered, turning on her heel and striding over to her mirror. With some effort the fist uncurled into a hand, and plucked a crumpled strip of paper from her waistband. Unfolding it briskly, she scanned the words yet another time, unsure why it caused a prickling sensation inside her stomach. It might have been the way the words were scrawled on what was blatantly a torn sheet of notepad paper, or maybe the words themselves.

'_Shinobu. Meet me at 9, in my room. Su.'_

It was…..unsettling. Su was never brisk. If the letter had contained some kind of reference to bananas, or a smiley face sketched beside the signature, it would be classic Kaolla. But this time, nothing.

If Su wrote a letter like this, it was worth finding out why.

Folding the paper neatly again, the violet-ette regarded herself in the mirror. Letting her eyes scroll over her diminutive frame, Shinobu felt her eyebrows crease into a frown and the corners of her mouth droop without conscious thought. Resigned eyes took in slim shoulders, an equally slim chest, and hips that barely caused a ripple in the skirt washing over her legs. A sigh escaped before she knew it was coming – a sound eloquently expressing her opinion on the figure staring despondently back at her from beyond the glass.

Tearing her gaze away, Shinobu pushed such depressive thoughts to the back of her mind. Suddenly purposeful she smoothed a few wrinkles from her white blouse, before nodding firmly and turning for the door.

If Su wanted her at nine, that was when she'd have her.

* * *

* * *

"What's up with Shinobu?" Mitsune shrugged idly, swilling clear liquid around a glass as she considered her good friend's question.

"Ya got me." Tilting her head back the vixen swigged a mouthful of the liquid before proffering the glass towards Naru, an offer politely refused with a shake of the head. "Dunno girl, perhaps she's gettin' cranky in her old age."

"All the same, she nearly bit my head off. Actually, I'm surprised I've got my limbs intact." Easing into her deckchair and tilting her head back to enjoy the late spring air, Naru exhaled loudly.

"To be honest, I'd be kinda annoyed if ya came into my room and accused me of rootin' through your stuff." Mitsune replied easily, taking another swig of her drink and peering out at the illuminated cityscape before her. On a fine late-spring night, the area in front of the Hinata-sou was an excellent place to enjoy a drink or chew the fat. "Girl's growin' up ya know? Fifteen this year."

"I know, I know. I can't blame her for being unimpressed. All the same though….."

"Yeah, does seem kinda extreme. Never knew Shinobu to be the type." Finishing the contents of her glass, Mitsune decanted another generous measure into it from the bottle waiting patiently beside her. "I can't think of anythin' you did that'd make her so pissed either. I reckon ya could hold a bonfire of all her possessions an' only get smaller portions for a week as punishment."

Naru chuckled at the image.

"Mind you, haven't seen much of Su either in the last few days. It's unlike her to be laying low."

"Ah, the girl's like that. The longer the silence, the louder the noise when it ends." Smiling broadly Mitsune offered the glass to Naru again, this time successfully.

"It makes me worry. The last time she went underground for this long was after watching that film by Miyazaki. Ten days later I wake up to find the Hinata-sou has grown legs and is making a beeline for Hokkaido." Taking a more moderate sip of liquor, the brunette passed the glass back to her friend, a slight flush colouring her face as she did. "It took some time to convince her that when she wanted to go on holiday, using a train causes a lot less hassle."

"Yep. Can't deny it wasn't fun though. 'Specially when we scared seven years off that farmer's life….." Laughing lightly, the fox glanced at her friend out of the corner of one slitted eye. "I reckon it all coincides with when you-know-who came home."

"Maybe….." Once again accepting the alcohol and taking a sip, Naru shrugged. "Perhaps he's upset them somehow."

"He sure as hell has you riled. Ya only drink when somethin' is on your mind." Leaning over, the fox tipped a little more sake into the glass, smiling as her friend took another sip without even realising it. Mitsune's very own interrogation technique – the half-empty glass. Keep the glass half-empty, and the one holding it had no idea how much had slipped between their lips.

She couldn't deny a tinge of regret at using the technique on Naru, but hell, needs must and all that. It had been weeks since somebody upset the apple cart, and it irked the fox no end that she didn't have the whole story, or even a paragraph. Information was her currency, and she never liked not knowing the state of the market.

Okay, in truth she was nosy and intrusive.

No-one was perfect.

"It's nothing Kitsune-chan."

"Right, the kinda nothin' that has you in a funk an' our beloved Kanrinin half-way outta his mind." Grinning, Mitsune took a swig right from the bottle herself. "C'mon Naru-chan, tell big sis all about it."

"Off-limits, Kitsune-chan." Naru replied flatly, swilling clear liquid around the glass disinterestedly.

"Ah, how about a little clue? Did he spy on you or somethin'?"

"I said cut it out. I'm not about to play twenty-questions with you either." The student growled, growing annoyed with her persistent companion.

"Okay, okay. I got it. Sheesh, you start takin' what Shinobu's on?" Secretly, Mitsune was alarmed. Normally Naru would have gone off like a gun in a library the very first chance she had. Even on a bad day, the girl could be teased open like a tight knot given a little work by her long-time friend. For her to pull the shutters down and shut up shop completely…..

"Sorry. I'm not in the mood for games." Naru muttered, peering downcast into the depths of her glass as if searching within for answers. Judging by the way she threw her head back and drained it, there were none forthcoming.

Mitsune studied her friend, taking in the drooped posture with an experienced eye. The eye widened momentarily as a novel thought came to mind.

What if it was actually Naru responsible for the current mess?

"Sorry Naru-chan. Just a bit concerned for ya, that's all."

"I know, I know…..but you don't need to be. I'll sort things out with that baka soon enough." There was enough of a warble to Naru's voice to raise one of Mitsune's eyebrows.

"Really? I ain't seen ya this worked up since….."

_Seta_.

The name wasn't spoken aloud, but both women heard it.

"Look, I'll be fine. Honestly." Naru stood, passing the empty glass back to her friend. "I'm going to head off and have a bath before bed, so I'll probably see you tomorrow." Waving a lazy hand in farewell and seeing one raised in reply, the slim woman made her way out of the cooling night air.

Behind her, Mitsune upended the bottle and drained it, already making plans. If Naru wasn't forthcoming, there were other ways to get information. But drilling Keitaro could wait.

It was far too nice a night to waste on that.

* * *

* * *

Shinobu decided to do the most dangerous thing she'd ever done in the whole of her youthful life. Not that it was much of an accolade – she once had crossed the road without looking both ways, and as for that crazy Friday when she'd lit barbecue without a fire extinguisher to hand…….

What was Shinobu about to do?

Enter Su's room without knocking.

The letter had just told her to meet Su in her room, so she was going to do just that. Somehow, the letter just screamed 'SECRET' – she severely doubted that every resident had received a personally addressed letter like her. The best way to make sure things stayed that way was to not stand in the middle of the corridor politely knocking for attention.

Hence, with a deep breath, the girl plunged into Su's room.

It was somewhere between relaxing and unsettling. The flora and fauna within the room resembled a tropical paradise, but at the edge of focus there was always the whirr of a security camera, following her every step.

It was like being a mix of Dr. Livingstone and Solid Snake.

All the same, she made it to Su's abode without any major mishap until the sight of a hammock allowed her to exhale slowly. All the same, she couldn't help but measure her steps through the clearing. Heaven knew what lurked beneath her feet.

Heaven probably wished it didn't know.

"Shinobu-chan." Spinning in surprise, the violet-haired girl stared up at the form of her friend, who was currently looking surprising solemn.

Solemn while hanging upside down from a branch by her legs and eating a banana, but solemn all the same.

"You wrote me a letter Su-chan?"

"Yeah." Flipping easily down from the tree, the Molmolian grasped Shinobu's hand and lead her over to a conveniently placed table and chairs, at which they sat. For long seconds Su gazed evenly at her guest, almost to the point where Shinobu squirmed. Finally, and seemingly satisfied, Su sat back with a grin.

"……So?" Shinobu asked, growing more confused by the second.

"So what?"

"……"

"Sorry, habit." Reaching behind herself, as if from nowhere Su withdrew a pair of bananas and offered one to Shinobu, who took it. Peeling the yellow fruit, the girl took a bite and waited for her host to explain exactly why she'd written her a hasty letter and shoved it under her door.

Unusually for Su, it took only seconds.

"I'm worried about Keitaro."

Shinobu nearly inhaled her mouthful of banana.

"Ulp-" Unclogging a chunk of yellow mush from where it had lodged in her windpipe, the blue-skirted girl took a few quick breaths to replace the air she'd lost. "Worried? What's happened?"

Su simply leaned forward, and stared at her with a cocked eyebrow. It didn't take long for Shinobu to realise it was a stupid question to ask – if she'd begun to notice that all was not well, why couldn't someone else? Feeling a little embarrassed (both at her assumption and the near-choking) the girl held up an apologetic palm. "Sorry, I just didn't expect…..I didn't expect anyone else to notice."

_Or care, _she added silently.

"Nothing goes on around this place without my knowledge." Su answered, a cheeky grin pinching her mouth.

Shinobu decided she didn't want to know how far that statement went.

"Anyways, it's because of that I called you here." The Molmolian continued, smile evaporating. "I don't know what's started everything off, it happened before Kei came back from the hospital. What I do know is that it's serious……"

Eyeing up her long-term friend, Shinobu wondered what had come over her. Su was meant to be free-wheeling and footloose, a human pinball that bounced from one moment to the next without a backward glance. A living embodiment of _joie de vivre_.

Suddenly, the violet-haired girl decided to take everything her morose friend said very, very seriously.

"I've been sneaking into Naru's room every day for the last week." Su continued, paying no attention to the gasp from the girl opposite. "I wanted to see how he was doing. _Really_ doing."

"Naru just came by and accused me of being the trespasser." Shinobu interjected, surprised.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I figured leaving the room spotless would point suspicions away from me. Who'd believe Kaolla Su would put everything back as she'd found it?" The little Molmolian gave an ironic smile, sensing Shinobu wasn't delighted at being made scapegoat. "Anyways, as I was saying, I wanted to see how Keitaro was really doing. Not knock and ask, 'cause he'd just do what he always does. It's…..it's not good, Shinobu-chan."

"I guessed it wasn't." Perhaps it was the touch of dryness in her tone, but Shinobu suddenly found herself faced with a genuinely cross Kaolla Su.

Unsettling indeed.

"Look, I'm not playing now. Say hello to Queen Kaolla." Seeing Shinobu looking contrite, the Molmolian relaxed her frown. "You think being in a royal family doesn't come with a price? I'm gonna have to make laws and shake hands some time down the line, so when I say I mean something I _really_ mean it."

"Uh, you're right. S-sorry." The girl opposite her looked so small and apologetic that Su couldn't help but smile.

"Ah, it's okay. I still plan on having a good time too!" Clearing her throat, Su went back to the matter in hand. "Anyways, it's not good. In fact it's bad. Very."

"What…..what did you see?" Shinobu whispered, unsure if she wanted to know or not.

"……Let's say that he's got more than a broken leg."

"Oh….." The pair lapsed into silence, one letting her imagination run wild, the other knowing the truth was actually far worse. For the first time in her life, Su was genuinely shaken. Perhaps it was the familial resemblance, perhaps the fact that she genuinely loved Keitaro as much as her aforementioned brother. Or perhaps that the love she felt for Keitaro was of a slightly different nature……

"Well, I-I don't see what we can do……" Shinobu piped meekly, staring down at her interlinked hands.

"Really?"

"Uh……" Glancing up and seeing her tan friend looking back expectantly, the violet-ette shrugged. "Well, when you don't know how something was broken, how are you meant to fix it?"

"C'mon Shinobu-chan. Do you reckon he wants us poking around his business?" Su grinned, showing about twenty teeth. "I'm just gonna keep him up to his eyes in bananas."

"Well, I suppose I could make tea more often."

"That's the spirit!" Exuberance dying down, the Molmolian grew solemn again. "Although, to be honest….."

"…..Yes?"

"……Oh, it's nothing to worry about. Yet." Shinobu frowned at her friend's sudden evasiveness.

"If it's something about Sempai, I want to know." Su smiled tightly, appreciating Shinobu's determined tone.

"It's okay. I'm keeping my eye on things. A smiley face is the best plan at the moment."

Shinobu itched to pry further, but decided to accept the advice. For now.

"Fine. I trust you Su-chan. But if something comes up, please tell me. I-I can't stand by and watch any more, I love Sempai too much to do that….." Belatedly realising she'd spilled beans previously tinned, vacuum-sealed and locked in a Swiss deposit box, the girl turned bright red. Clutching her face anxiously, Shinobu glanced up in fear that the bombshell she'd unwittingly dropped would blow the world upside down.

Su simply grinned.

"About time you said that." With a smile more reminiscent of the Kaolla Su known by the Hinata residents, the girl continued in a far more cheery voice. "Well, I reckon I've done serious about as long as I can handle in one sitting. How about another banana and some home video?"

Nodding in agreement, Shinobu peeled and bit into her snack, too busy rolling Su's evasive statements back and forth inside her head in the hope they would begin making sense. That was, until…..

"Yikes! Su-chan, just how did you get that camera _there?"_

"Tricks of the trade, Shinobu-chan. Tricks of the trade." Tilting her head to get a better look at the proceedings, Shinobu felt her face begin to heat the room.

"Not that I'm…..complaining, but aren't you technically too young to watch this?"

"…..Aren't you meant to be too?"

"…..Good point. How about we just never tell anyone?"

"Deal."

* * *

* * *

Well that's chapter 1. Chapter 2 is already written and chapter 3 is three-quarters done.

First time I've ever been ahead of the game, so to speak.

Hope you enjoyed, and see you next time.

Ja ne!

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello, it's Nodoka here again.

Nice to be back, and thanks to those who reviewed – both new and those who I've known before. It's always appreciated, and it's encouraging to know that there are a few people who liked my first story enough to come back and give this one a whirl.

Nothing much else to say at this point, except thanks once again to Rachel, who has also taken up the mantle of beta-reader. It's a tough job working your way through the rubbish I type, but she does it for me all the same.

Anyhow, time to get on with business.

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Parallel Lives – Chapter 2

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Keitaro ground his teeth silently, sweeping the walkway fronting the Hinata-sou with more vigour than the poor, abused broom in his hands really deserved. It was a warm day, with the sun beaming down from an almost clear sky, the few clouds within it only serving to punctuate the sea of blue upon which they floated. Anyone who took the time to tilt their head back and gaze in any upward direction would doubtless have their hearts soothed and spirits lifted by the sight of such a glorious afternoon.

The Kanrinin, however, wore a peaked hat to shield his eyes and kept his face tilted firmly down towards his task. He didn't want to see the sky, no matter how glorious.

Because it was right about now he should be indoors.

In a lecture to be precise.

It was only when the broom made contact with one of the stones lining the path – with enough force to snap the handle - that Keitaro realised he was out of sweeping room. After a moment of staring at the now ex-broom held firmly in his left hand, the Kanrinin bit out a sigh and swept a sleeve across his sweaty brow before plucking the spectacles from their perch and absently cleaning them with the hem of his shirt.

"Sempai!" A soprano voice drew the man's hazy gaze away from his spectacles, and towards an indistinct figure moving towards him. The figure resolved itself into Shinobu the moment Keitaro's glasses were returned to their normal resting place, and it appeared the girl was not empty-handed.

"Oh, hi Shinobu-chan."

"Hiya Sempai." The purple-haired girl waved a bottle in his direction, one gleaming with condensation and radiating a cold palpable from three feet away. "It's a warm day, so I was wondering if you'd like a drink?"

"That'd be great." Taking the bottle and wrenching the top free, Keitaro tipped his head back and let orange juice run across his tongue, shivering at the sudden chill. After several swift mouthfuls he gasped in relief and sent a thankful smile in Shinobu's direction. "Ahhhh. Much better. Thanks, Shinobu-chan."

"No problem!" The girl chirped in return, returning the smile.

"It's certainly warm…." Keitaro noted his friend was watching him drink with almost avid interest, and made the obvious deduction. "Here, you want some?"

Shinobu let out something approaching an 'eeep' and stared at the proffered bottle as if it were the holy grail, or at the very least a very desirable pair of shoes. After several deep breaths and an almost visible shudder, the girl accepted the offered drink with what was probably a 'thank you' but too mumbled and rushed to be legible.

"No problem." Letting his hazel gaze sweep across his handiwork, the Kanrinin nodded in satisfaction while trying to ignore yet another itch which had sprung up half-way down his plastered limb. After the first time, when they had been lucky to retrieve the fork without further injury, he had given up trying to scratch them. Eyes returning to Shinobu, who still seemed to be savouring the pending mouthful, the man was reminded of something which had been puzzling him for the previous two or three days. "By the way Shinobu, not that I don't enjoy the company, but shouldn't you be in school?"

Shinobu almost dropped the bottle.

"Oh! Uh, well……" Looking down at the orange container in her grasp, the diminutive girl decided to take a drink (and the indirect kiss) to provide her with time to think of a response. By the time she'd run out of breath, she'd come up with a plausible (if unpleasant) excuse. "I-I didn't want to tell you this, but I've been…..suspended for a month….."

Birds chirruped.

Insects buzzed.

Keitaro stared at Shinobu with mouth ajar.

In truth, a jar is probably too small a measure. A vat might be more accurate.

"Suspended?!" The sheer disbelief in his voice almost snapped Shinobu's resolve there and then. It was only the memory of her pledge to Su that kept her from doing so.

"……Yeah." It took very little effort for the girl to sound abashed.

"What happened?!"

"I'd rather not talk about it....." Shinobu breathed a long sigh of relief as the Kanrinin seemed to take her response at face value.

"I find that kinda hard to believe." Swallowing curiosity, Keitaro turned back to his now ruined broom and sighed. "Hell, that's the third time this week. I'm running out of handles. I'm such an idiot......"

"Um, Sempai?" Eyeing the brown-haired man cautiously, the girl shuddered at his expression. The last time she'd seen one similar was on the face of someone she'd once known from a previous school - the day the girl had seen her cat first eat her pet budgie, and subsequently get itself run over whilst choking on the feathers. Simple, unadulterated misery.

Keitaro didn't have a budgie. Or a cat.

In fact, there were very few things he did have to lose. This fact shortened the list of possibilities considerably.

"Oh, sorry. Drifted off for a moment there....." Shrugging and pulling the two halves of the broom into one hand, the man gave Shinobu a slow smile. "Thanks again for the drink, Shinobu-chan. And as for why you're.....suspended, well, if you want to go through it my door's always open. So long as you knock first." He added hurriedly, knowing full well the chances of something potentially labelled 'perverse' happening through an unannounced entry.

"Yeah, sure Sempai." The violet-ette answered, sweet smile firmly in place while internally the girl struggled against her innate shyness. Seeing the Kanrinin turning to leave, the scales suddenly tipped.

"You know, my door is open too....." It was barely more than a squeak, but the pause in his step told anyone watching the man had heard.

"I'll keep it in mind." Came the eventual reply, one thrown over the shoulder as Keitaro hurried towards the gaping entrance of the Hinata-sou. Seconds later, the figure was enveloped by shadow and disappeared from sight.

Shinobu huffed gently.

What had she expected? A sudden about face the very moment she'd offered herself as a crutch? A promise to visit that night, once the house had fallen silent and the chance of discovery had all but vanished? Sighing inwardly, Shinobu cursed her optimism. She should've learned by now that once bitten lead to twice shy. It wasn't as if she hadn't learned by experience herself......

"Is everything alright, Shinobu-chan?" The petite girl almost jumped out of her skin.

"Oh! Oh, yes thank you Motoko-san."

"Good." Eyeing the slightly flustered girl with a typically even stare, the young swordsmistress raised an elegant eyebrow. "Although you will pardon me if I fail to be convinced. Has something untoward happened today, by any chance?"

"No, not at all." Shinobu replied honestly.

"I will admit that your absence from school alone is enough to concern me. I have heard Su perpetuating some sort of myth involving raging gastroenteritis....." Internally, the violet-haired winced. Su had promised to cover her absence – and while having a bout of 'the gush' as it was snidely labelled by her schoolmates was bullet proof an excuse as any, it would guarantee a lots of 'amusing' noises following her about for at least a week.

A life surrounded by fourteen-year-olds was, simply put, rubbish.

"......But I sincerely doubt that someone with such florid and unpleasant symptoms would be stood enjoying the sunshine." Motoko finished sternly.

"......" Shinobu stared at the ground, knowing full well lying to the heir of the Shinmei-ryu was impossible, and would only lead to further suspicion. Eventually, the older girl sighed gently.

"Be that as it may. I shall merely trust that your reasons for your absence are good, and also trust you to resume your place in class soon."

"Yes, Motoko-san."

"Good." Sweeping the pristine pathway with her attentive gaze, Motoko took note of its spotless condition and came to the logical conclusion. "Has Urashima been hard at work again?"

"He's done really well; I've never seen the terrace so clean." Shinobu chirped happily.

"Yes. Tell me, do you find his new attitude to work somewhat…..unsettling?" The taller girl mused, still inspecting the pathway carefully. "Although I admit that his work is, on average, acceptable, I think that if he continues in this manner he may well erode the flagstones."

"….." Shinobu eyed Motoko speculatively, weighing up the benefits of telling her that her concerns were spot on against the chance that she might just make everything worse. In the end she decided to keep her cards close to her chest.

"He's working very hard. You always told him he should work harder didn't you, Motoko-san?"

"Well yes, but….." Sputtering slightly beneath Shinobu's almost belligerently innocent gaze, the elder girl eventually sighed. "Never mind, Shinobu-chan. It is of no great importance."

"Okay." Apparently satisfied, Shinobu beamed up at Motoko before turning and almost skipping back into the house. Only when the threshold was crossed did her feet and expression become heavy.

'_Keitaro's of no great importance? Typical….' _She muttered, scuffing the toe of her sandal on the gleaming wooden floor. A few seconds of grumbling later the young chef sloped into the kitchen, deciding that it was time to start cooking dinner. Such was her distraction, she completely failed to notice the calculating eyes of Mitsune watching her from the easy chair, from which she'd witnessed the entire scene.

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Walking on eggshells got tiring after a while, Mitsune reasoned. The reasoning took place, as most of her best reasonings did, as she lay spread-eagled across her bed clad in her red silk negligee, enjoying a nightcap.

Shifting her weight onto her left side and propping her blonde-haired head up on a relaxed hand, the young lady adjusted her skimpy clothing before grumbling in pent-up annoyance. It had been a frustrating few days, and it was really beginning to get on her wick – the Fox had never been one to tread lightly around others, possessing the craft and guile to avoid situations where she was walking on eggshells entirely. However, on this occasion, the entire Hinata-sou was essentially a gigantic egg farm, and avoidance was simply not an option.

Especially as her best friend was at the epicentre of it.

Over the previous few days, the fox had been doing what she did best – piecing things together. It was still very much a mystery what had happened, but Mitsune was quite content she had a good idea by now. As for the bits she didn't know…..well, a little speculation, and a dash of imagination……

If it wasn't the whole truth, it was close enough.

What she'd managed to surmise was that something had gone down the day her Kanrinin-by-default had landed up in hospital. Something that had Naru spitting feathers, but not in the traditional sense……the girl was angry, but it lacked the typical righteous air that normally characterised her anti-pervert crusades. It was almost, well, a guilty annoyance. A sense that she was angry because she didn't know what else to be, and at the same time wasn't quite sure _who_ she was actually angry with. Factor in Keitaro's odd behaviour, a strange combination of almost frantic cheer and hermitage, and Mitsune had more than enough to formulate a hypothesis.

The summary basically was that Keitaro had said or done something that wasn't _wrong_, more that he'd done something Naru hadn't expected. Or something she wasn't ready for…..

For a few moments the fox had wondered if Keitaro had actually faced up and admitted what everyone knew.

Nah. Ridiculous.

What was going on now though…..it was starting to get on Mitsune's nerves. Walking on tiptoes just got tiring quickly. Personally, she would prefer to smash every last egg, fry up a massive omelette and make everyone eat their share.

Job done. Time to get on with life.

There was, however, a problem. One the Hinata-sou was, as a whole, unaccustomed to.

The potential for division within, for what seemed to be the first time.

That is to say the usual line of division (tenants versus manager) had shifted.

Shinobu, clearly, either knew something she didn't or was unimpressed by Naru's attitude. The girl had actively avoided speaking to Naru for the previous few days, and on more than one occasion Mitsune has caught the tail-end of a glare directed at the back of her best friend's head. By contrast Motoko was (as ever) firmly on Naru's side, her dislike for men and low opinion of Keitaro making any idea of shared blame inconceivable. It was this fact that had held the silver fox back. If she went wading in with hobnail boots on, the chances were that Shinobu and Motoko would end up as adversaries – the Violet-eyed cook showing a degree of stolidity Mitsune didn't know her capable of.

As for herself, well, she would side with Naru out of loyalty. Su…..Who knew if she even had a clue what was going on at all.

Haruka rarely made an appearance, but Mitsune guessed she would probably back her flesh and blood if the worst came to the worst.

Sighing in annoyance, the busty young woman grasped another can of not overly expensive sake and ripped the ring-pull off with practised ease. Downing half of it and gasping in pleasure as the coal fire warming her from within was stoked once again, Mitsune weighed up her options. Far as she could see it, there were two – either let things be and tread with care for who-knows-how-long, or get out the egg whisk. Doing one of them would ensure a relative peace for the foreseeable future. The other could lead to recriminations, division and acrimony.

Grinning in a feral manner, Mitsune downed the rest of the can before crumpling it and discarding it carelessly over her shoulder.

Time to fetch the frying pan, and crack open the first egg.

She already knew which one.

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Dinner had been well received, as it always was when Shinobu cooked. As was typical for the previous few dinners, however, the number of diners around the table was one shy of normal.

Shinobu was beginning to fret.

One or two others whose names shall not be mentioned at this juncture had spotted the fraying of the young girl's nerve endings with each successive meal Keitaro avoided, and had drawn the conclusion that Keitaro should pay for committing such a slight on Shinobu's cooking.

Although it was far from ideal, it was a good enough excuse for her change in mood. It saved her explaining the real reason, after all.

In truth, Shinobu wasn't a stranger to situations like this one. Much as she'd like to forget, she had first-hand experience of what happened when someone decided to withdraw from the world in general. It usually started in little ways, like keeping meetings brief or just hanging about in the peripheries of conversation. To start missing meals and avoiding people altogether…..that suggested things were already pretty bad.

From there, who knew?

Stroking her neck idly, the purple-eyed girl turned her attention back to the plates she was currently washing, and specifically to the one she'd been holding in mid-air for so long it was already dry. Shrugging slightly and placing it unnecessarily on the drying rack, she plucked another from the sink and set to scrubbing. Allowing her mind to start wandering again.

What would happen next…..well, there weren't many options left. It could either get better, rumble on the same way, or get worse. Better would be things gradually returning to what was called normal. Staying the same would lead to some sort of bizarre cold war running through the Hinata-sou for who-knows-how-long.

If things got worse on the other hand……

A whole-body shudder passed through the girl, and she shook her head to try and clear it. With an annoyed growl at even letting her thoughts travel down such paths, Shinobu slammed the now gleaming plate so hard into the rack it cracked.

"Easy tiger." With a barely-smothered shriek the girl sprang several feet in the air, much to the amusement of the owner of the voice which had spoken barely an inch from her left ear. Spinning around on the pristine kitchen floor, Shinobu levelled what was almost a glare at the sniggering interloper.

"Kitsune-san, don't scare me like that!" Taking several deep breaths, the violet-haired girl swallowed her fright and placed petite hands on her equally petite hips. "Next time I might be cleaning a knife, you know."

""Yeah, yeah." Idly strolling to the fridge, the fox fished inside and pulled out a carton of orange juice. "Well, you gonna tell me what all that was about?" She continued, unscrewing the top and raising the carton to her mouth.

"Use a glass, please."

"Humph. If I gotta….." Scooping a freshly washed tumbler from the draining board Mitsune poured a reasonable measure of juice out before replacing the cap and returning what remained to the fridge. "There. So - " Tilting her angular head back the young woman swallowed a mouthful of her drink with obvious enjoyment. " – Now are ya gonna tell me what all that was about?"

"All what?"

"C'mon. Last I checked ya were able to wash a plate without snappin' it in half."

"Sorry Kitsune-san, I wasn't really paying attention." The Hinata-sou's resident fox smirked as her younger friend attempted to skip around the question. If Shinobu had been twenty years older she might just have had a chance, but Mitsune Konnos' life revolved around words and the meanings they contained. The mouse was already in the trap, even if it didn't realise it yet.

"Well, you weren't paying attention to the plate, that's for sure. Perhaps your mind was on other things?"

"Even if it was, it's none of your business." Came the brisk reply. Mitsune's smile widened.

"A friend can't help being concerned. 'Sides, you're like the little sister 'round here, surely we're allowed to get protective now and then?"

"I'm a bigger girl than any of you realise. Honestly Kitsune-san, I'm fine." Shinobu stated, going back to what remained of her washing up.

Mitsune eyed her speculatively.

"Ya know, if you're that wound up about Keitaro's behaviour, I could always have a word with him." She said casually, setting the hook. The tiniest pause in Shinobu's movements told her it was taken.

"I-I'm not bothered." The younger girl replied, stiffly loading another plate onto the rack.

"Sure you aren't. But there's a plate over there which says otherwise." Waving a hand in the direction of the aforementioned meal, wrapped carefully in cling film, the Hinata-sou's resident fox smirked as her younger friend stiffened again. Sensing her chance, she moved closer and in for the kill. "Ah, c'mon. It's okay to be worried when someone doesn't turn up when you've been cookin' them a gorgeous dinner. Heck, if I was the chef I'd want ta know my friends were eatin' properly. Tell ya what, I could mention your concerns to Motoko, I'm sure she'll be pleased ta make sure he comes next time……"

"No, don't!" Shinobu blurted, spinning around with violet eyes flashing until she took in Mitsune's sly grin, quickly realising she'd been played. Sighing softly, the girl visibly deflated, voice growing doleful. "It's….it's just that been days since he's joined us, days! Something's not right, and I seem to be the only one who's noticed!"

For several long seconds the pair stared at one another, before the taller figure took a step back, crossing her arms thoughtfully as she did.

"Ya know, you're not the only one who's noticed." She stated, eyebrow raised.

"Maybe not. But I'm the only one who cares." Came the dismissive response, accompanied by a look that almost challenged Mitsune to say otherwise.

She couldn't.

"What do you know?" The silver-haired woman asked, curious at the apparent change in her younger friend.

"No more than you I expect."

"Which is?"

"Do I have to spell it out?" At Mitsune's nod, Shinobu sighed. "Well, that something happened to Sempai a few weeks ago, and that ever since he's been down in the dumps while Naru acts like he doesn't exist." It was simple and to the point, while not giving anything away. It was apparently enough for Mitsune too.

"Yeah, kinda sums it up. Wish I could get to the bottom of it, but Naru ain't talkin'. Kei ain't either, an' I've tried minin' him for information. I was diggin' pretty damn hard too, but not even a hint of gold to be found." She admitted, leaning back against the counter and taking another mouthful of juice.

"I haven't asked." Shinobu admitted, releasing the plug from the bottom of the sink and watching the dirty water flow out. "I don't think it's my place to."

"It's always your place to ask." Receiving a slightly disbelieving look from the purple-haired girl, Mitsune shrugged. "Well, it's the rule I live my life by. Works for me."

Shinobu decided not to comment.

"Anyhow, I guess I gotta do some research on the ponies tonight. Winners won't pick themselves ya know." Finishing her drink Mitsune placed the glass idly beside the now empty sink. "Here ya go Shinobu-chan. Since you're havin' trouble controllin' your own strength, I'm givin' you the chance to practice."

"Kitsune-san….." At the younger girl's peeved growl, Mitsune chuckled before picking the glass up herself.

"Ah, shove over." Turning on the tap the fox rinsed the glass thoroughly before setting it on the draining board. "And that, my young Grasshopper, is how you wash something without breakin' it." Letting out another amused chuckle at Shinobu's annoyance as she picked up the lone glass and began drying it, Mitsune patted her on the head. "You must have been taking lessons from our Kanrinin; he's really cleanin' for keeps the last few days."

"Huh?" Mistaking the look on Shinobu's face for puzzlement, Mitsune paused on her way out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, you know. He's got the place gleamin' like it hasn't for half a decade at least. I sure as hell can't forget – I went ass-over-teakettle in the springs the other day 'cause everything was ice-rink smooth. My butt gives me the odd twinge to remind me now an' then." Shrugging, the fox strolled easily out of the kitchen, leaving a motionless Shinobu behind her.

Wheels were spinning in the little chef's head, gears she didn't know fitted together suddenly meshing and turning in unison. Between what Mitsune and Motoko had said…..

Before the tea-towel reached the floor Shinobu was gone from the room.

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It had been inevitable, really.

When Shinobu finally found her Kanrinin, she should have known better than to actually go and see him. After all, entering into a bathing area belonging to the opposite sex was a treacherous prospect, something Keitaro himself could attest to following experiences too numerous to count. When you add to that the fact that the sound of voices (Keitaro's frantic, Shinobu's embarrassed) carried a long way on the night air, including to the female baths themselves, no details need be given as to the result.

"Typical Urashima." Motoko muttered, easing back into the steaming water with a barely audible sigh. "Drawing Shinobu into his bathing area, and then attempting to expose himself to her……"

"Same old, same old?" Mitsune asked, sipping at her usual evening's accompaniment.

"So it would seem." The kendoist answered. "What he was making Shinobu do with that plastered leg of his…..it makes me shudder inside. I dislike perversion a great deal, but including innocents in such acts – well, death is far too good for him." She finished, resting back against a smooth stone with obvious pleasure.

"Yep. Same old." Turning her attention to another bather, Mitsune raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Gotta say though, some things were different. What's up Naru-chan?"

"What do you mean 'what's up'?" The honey-haired girl replied, eyes firmly closed.

"I mean normally Motoko-san here has a job to beat ya there when there's justice to be served. Today ya hardly moved." At her friend's observations Naru shrugged with apparent indifference.

"It's not like I'm being paid to do it, and Motoko-san is more than able to deal with things by herself. Besides, I didn't hear anything – my ears must have been underwater."

"Right." It shouldn't be possible for one word to carry enough sarcasm to fill a whole week, but Mitsune managed it.

"And what's that meant to mean?"

"It means quit bein' stiff-necked and sort yourself out, girl. All I got outta givin' Keitaro the third degree was the impression the ball was in your court, so for heaven's sake hit back it before tension drives us all nuts!" The Hinata-sou's resident vixen grimaced to herself at the sharpness of her tone, and the way Naru stiffened opposite her. "Sorry, didn't mean it like that…..I'm worried, that's all. You're not yourself y'know, an' I want ta help if I can." She finished, sincerity for once ringing clear in her voice.

It wasn't her usual method, but anything was worth a try, right?

"……Sorry Kitsune-chan. This is between me and Keitaro." Naru sighed resignedly, dropping her face and gazing at the morose reflection cast in the mirror of the springs' surface. "It's not something for anyone else to be involved with – and soon as I find a bit of courage buried somewhere there won't even be 'something' any more."

Silence reigned for a few long seconds, two figures staring with wide eyes at the third who sat head-bowed as if bearing the world on her slim shoulders. It was only when they noticed the occasional ripple in the still waters around their friend that one of them moved.

"C'mon Naru-chan. It's not that bad." Mitsune soothed, paddling across and placing a hand on her towel-clad back.

"It is. Or it could be." Naru sobbed, instinctively drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them tightly. Realisation growing, Mitsune glanced across at Motoko only to see the Kendoist looking on with obvious confusion. The fox realised she would gain no help there; the youngest Aoyama only knew men as perverts or parasites, and hence would have no idea what being lovesick meant or how it felt.

Naru had all the hallmarks of it, plus a hefty slice of guilt to boot. Which good as confirmed her suspicions.

Naru _was_ the one who'd screwed up.

"Hey, chill." The fox murmured, brushing a few loose strands of hair away from her best friend's face. "Ya know the guy's been chasin' ya ever since he came, it ain't like a few more days will hurt." Not even bothering to ask how Mitsune worked it out, Naru shook her head and swallowed.

"What if it does?"

"Then you gotta seize the day Naru-chan! I don't know what's gone on with you two, but I know sure as hell's a bit warm all ya need to do is apologise. You'll have him back at your feet offerin' to kiss 'em clean before ya can say 'Kanrinin'." The silver-haired girl smiled, punching a fist into a cupped palm in emphasis.

"I-I don't know." Naru replied quietly, meek as a child at prayer. "I'd like to, but I don't know if I can….."

"Ya gotta swallow that pride, Naru-chan." At Mitsune's statement silence once again drifted across the hot springs surface, as the very night itself seemed to hold its breath and await an answer.

"I can't." Opening her honey eyes, Naru tilted her head back to stare at the starry sky. "I'm not ready to let him know yet….." Emitting a long, low sigh, the student eventually brought her attention back to the real world, giving the other occupants of the baths a slightly watery smile. "But I'll admit, when he hears what needs to be said I should be the one saying it, so…..could you promise not to mention all this? To anyone?"

"Sure." Mitsune grinned in response, before turning her attention to Motoko. The swordsmistress gazed evenly between the pair, before emitting a quiet 'humph'.

"I fail to see what subject involving Urashima could be so important. Be that as it may, you have my word."

"Thanks Motoko-san." Naru said gratefully. For the third time in as many minutes silence descended across the scene, this time far more comfortable than those which passed before. Eventually it was broken, this time by Motoko.

"I must say, there was something else atypical about the goings on a few minutes ago." The ebon-haired woman began, frowning. "Which, I must admit, were nothing to do with Urashima. Once I had removed his poisonous influence from the scene, Shinobu's reaction was far from that which I have come to expect."

"What do you mean?"

"I turned around to reassure her, and she was no longer present." Motoko mused openly, frown marring her features. "I caught up with her in the hallway and placed a hand upon her shoulder, but she brushed it away, and my words were met only with silence."

"It's not the first time; she was short with me the other night." Naru added, composure back in her voice.

"That's weird." Shrugging idly, Mitsune broke out into a sly smile. "Ya never know, the girl might be becoming a woman at last. It's takin' her a while, she's pretty much the same girl I first met here three years back, right down to her triple-A cups."

"Kitsune! That wasn't very nice! Size isn't everything; you wouldn't make such comments if you had her figure." Her younger friend scolded.

"Says the girl who would ask me to check hers out every time we bathed just to see if they were bigger……" Mitsune answered, teasing heavy in her tone.

Naru blushed.

"Ummmm….."

"Look out below!" A fourth voice called, drawing three pairs of eyes skywards. For a moment all seemed well, until suddenly a figure apparently in freefall descended from the darkness at what seemed to be terminal velocity. An instant before it seemed whoever it was would meet a fragmented end on the rocks below the descent abruptly halted, causing a pair of screams to hitch in their owners throats. As the bathers looked on, the figure now dangling from what appeared to be a bungee cord adjusted a face-mask before hefting a spray-pump towards the entrance to the springs. A handle was depressed, and in what seemed like seconds the entire doorway and several feet of the fence either side was coated in some sort of clear substance.

Blinking slowly, the three women watched the figure reach up a hand, and fiddle with a clip connecting the harness tied around her (the figure owning one or two characteristics clearly identifying her as a 'her') waist. A click sounded, followed almost instantly by a loud splash as the figure entered the springs with an oddly graceful belly-flop.

"Whoo! It works!" The sodden face of Kaolla Su broke through the surface, the mask now hanging limply around her neck. Taking in the blank stares of the three women before her, the tan girl grinned widely. "Ooops, sorry to drop in on ya. My bad!" She added, scratching the back of her head in a manner oddly reminiscent of Keitaro.

"Su-chan, what ya doing?" Kitsune asked, eyes flitting from the little teen to the doorway and back again.

"Oh, nothing interesting. Just checking out a new invention of mine." Su replied, looking cheerful.

"And what invention is this?" Naru almost held her breath; knowing that things were rarely straightforward when the Molmolian had a new toy to play with.

"It's something to help Keitaro! Nothing fancy, just a pump-driven hand-held spray combined with bungee cord and harness. It's for when the outer walls need re-varnishing, I've developed an instant-drying varnish specially, just to make it super fast."

"You mean……"

"Yeah! You just drop down, press the button and voilà! Ten seconds and all done! Although….." Looking herself over, the girl wrung out her soaking t-shirt with a slightly rueful grin. "…..The landing could do with a bit of work."

"No, I mean you just sprayed the door with quick-setting varnish? Or, in other words, you've just varnished the door shut?" Naru finished, looking past her young friend to the now gleaming doors. Within half a second Motoko was at the door, and within another half-second the swordswoman had proven her right.

Slowly, Kaolla Su realised that she was the focus of three stares. None of which suggested their owners were particularly impressed. Grin growing all the more rueful she pressed the tips of her index fingers together, favouring the others with her most innocent-eyed expression.

"Um, oops?"

"Motoko-san, reckon can you cut this door open?" Mitsune asked, moving forwards to inspect the doors herself. The sight of nearly half-a-centimetre of lacquer coating each surface did little to improve her optimism.

"I prefer to leave my blade outside when Urashima is not present. It does steel and wood little good to be immersed in water too often." The swordswoman replied, cheeks glowing red in frustration.

"It's okies! I've got solvent in my room!" Su chipped in.

"And how, pray tell, are we going to get it?" Naru sighed, hands on towel-clad hips.

"…..Oooops again?" Seeing her older friend begin to grow red, the Molmolian waved her hands in placation. "It's fine; Shinobu will be down in a bit, we'll ask her to get some an' drop it in to us."

"…..Fine. I guess it's the best we're going to get." Sinking back into the hot waters, Naru cast a glance at Su as Mitsune and Motoko gave up the ghost and rejoined them. "But I promise you Su-chan, if you do something like this again I'll cut the banana budget in half."

"Yes sir!" Su chirruped, huge grin adorning her face.

Thankfully, none of the others could see the fingers crossed tightly behind her back.

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Even at the best of times, it was quite a tough job getting down from a tree and walking across a mile of woodland terrain in the dark. It was an even tougher job doing so with one leg in plaster.

"Stupid birds, it's not my fault I disturbed them when they were busy…." The man muttered, pulling another twig from the dark brown nest which passed for his hair. "They could've just pecked me a few times and left me alone, but no, they had to go and take things one step further…..I'm glad I fell in that stream, otherwise I'd be dirtier now than before I went into the bath." Pausing as he came across a huge flight of steps, intermittently dotted with lamps around which flew innumerable desperately confused insects, Keitaro couldn't help but draw parallels between him and them.

The Hinata-sou the light, himself a moth. Drawn ever inwards, despite knowing somewhere in depths of the mind the only result would be another burn.

Deciding that such thoughts would do nothing for his mood or the speed with which he returned somewhere warm, Keitaro began ascending the stairs, anticipating the joys of putting on comfortable, dry clothes. Preferably his clothes, but after walking with only a damp towel for half-an-hour through the (admittedly mild) night, he wasn't fussy.

So long as he didn't get caught wearing them.

It was after a lot of effort the stairs were bested, and the Hinata-sou's resident Kanrinin slipped stealthlessly through the front entrance, heart in mouth. It stayed there as he made his way through the empty lounge, up the empty stairs and along the empty passage. It was only as he approached his door that Keitaro began to get suspicious. Things never, ever went so smoothly in this situation – where were the welcoming committee? Someone, always, was waiting for his return, even if it was purely to make another adroit observation about how lucky he was to receive such mild punishment for the crimes he'd committed. Chalking it up as simply good fortune, Keitaro smiled and slid the door numbered 205 open.

To be greeted by a diminutive figure, cast in silhouette against the full moon shining through his window.

"Shinobu!" Keitaro 'eeped', almost cracking his head on the doorframe in shock.

"Sempai." The girl answered, oddly calm.

"Wha-wh-you scared the hell out of me!" Gasping, the Kanrinin flicked the light on to see his room and his violet-haired visitor bathed in its glow.

"Sorry….." Stepping forwards, the girl frowned as her unwitting host took a half-pace backwards. "I didn't mean to make you jump Sempai. I was just waiting for you to come home."

"In my room?"

"Well, it seemed like the one place I'd be sure to find you." Shinobu replied simply, shrugging. Keitaro frowned slightly – the person who normally inhabited the kitchen and the person before him were somehow not quite the same. Something wasn't quite right……but when it came to deciphering the ways and wherefores of the female gender Keitaro was far from adept. Deciding that trying would only tempt fate, the Kanrinin decided to go for the obvious.

"B-but someone could arrive any minute! I think you should-"

"Su is taking care of the others." Cocking his head to one side, Keitaro himself felt a tiny frown form at Shinobu's statement. What did _'taking care of'_ mean?

"So-"

"We won't be disturbed." The small figure before him cut in, quiet voice growing tremulous. "I didn't want to be interrupted when you came home – I really need to speak to you. Especially about this…..." Reaching out a petite hand Shinobu grasped the handle of Keitaro's closet and pulled it open, not missing the way her Sempai's face fell and hand twitched as if longing to stop the movement of the door. Giving the man a long stare, Shinobu turned once again to gaze at the contents.

A few shirts, ones which had seen a lot of wear in recent days. A single pair of shorts, a pair of trousers, a few socks tucked away into one corner.

And, sat accusingly in the middle of the meagre wardrobe, a large grey suitcase. One obviously stuffed to the point of eruption, given the way its grey canvas walls bulged like a greedy hamster's cheeks, and firmly zipped shut complete with padlock. Apparently surveying the sight before her, Shinobu eventually extended a digit towards the case, seemingly not even noticing when her finger and voice shook. "When are you leaving?"

"Shinobu-ch….."

"WHEN?!" Shinobu cried, uncaring of the liquid building in her violet eyes.

"I-I wasn't….."

"Please, Sempai!" Almost slamming the door shut, the diminutive figure turned on her 'Sempai'. "I've seen you! Working through the house like it's for the last time! Like you're putting everything in its place, just like you found it….." Stopping only inches away from the taller man Shinobu craned up, not even trying to fight the hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "So one day you can disappear off into the night and leave without a word! Leave everything and everyone the way you found it…..well, what about us, Sempai? Don't you think someone would notice, would care? Don't you think _I_ would care?!" She finished, voice dying to barely a whisper.

"Shinobu-chan……" Keitaro felt something heavy settle into his throat as the girl before him let out a choked sob, before collapsing into him as if suddenly crushed beneath the weight of her words.

"You have made a difference - to Su, to me. I know something's happened, and I know life's rubbish, but please don't walk away……" Cradling the soft, warm form of a crying girl in his arms, Keitaro actually did something logical.

He kicked the door shut behind him.

"Come on, let's sit down." He murmured, guiding himself and Shinobu to his futon. Resting down onto it easily, Keitaro had to take several deep breaths and make doubly sure the door was shut before he would allow himself to relax with one of his most beloved tenants on his lap.

Shinobu, whose face was still buried somewhere in his shoulder, didn't seem to notice. She would be the first to admit her reaction was a little strong, but the situation had taken the girl completely by surprise. After the debacle of earlier that evening when Keitaro had been sent on yet another unscheduled flight, the girl had hit on a plan with Su to allow her some time to speak to the man undisturbed. However, she'd become bored waiting for Keitaro in his room and given into temptation for a semi-innocent look through his closet, where the sight of a packed case and nigh-on-empty shelves had left her dumbstruck. Her 'Sempai' was someone she held in high regard, someone she was developing far more than an idle crush upon after eighteen months of living together (although she never expected, or even dared to hope anything could come of it) – and although she knew things were, to put it simply, 'bad', it came as a huge shock to find evidence of imminent departure.

It was unfortunate for Keitaro that he'd arrived only seconds after she'd closed the door of the closet with trembling hands, which gave her no time whatsoever to collect her wits. Hence the current position she found herself in – curled on the Kanrinin's lap, with only an occasional soprano hiccup punctuating the room's silence.

"I didn't mean it that way Shinobu-chan. Honestly." Keitaro eventually murmured, voice barely audible. He received no reply, but somehow knew she was listening all the same. "That bag…..every day I promise to unpack it, but then I don't. Like I'm waiting for something to happen, something to prove I really belong here. I suppose it's the story of my life really – I've spent the rest of it waiting for something……or someone…..so what's changed?" The young man finished, an ironic taint to his voice.

Once again, silence fell. After an indeterminate period of time, Shinobu peeled her face from Keitaro's torso, red-rimmed eyes faintly accusing.

"I don't believe you Sempai." Seeing protest about to surface, the girl shook her violet-haired head firmly. "If you were waiting for something to make you stay, you wouldn't be ready to leave."

"…..." Keitaro dropped his gaze to the floor, unwilling to meet her stare.

"What happened?" Not expecting the question, the Kanrinin looked up to see his youngest tenant peering at him with what could only be called concern.

"What?"

"Something's changed, and I mean in the last few days. You've stopped coming down for meals." Shinobu noted.

"……It's nothing. Just a few words which helped to make my mind up." Keitaro answered, obviously unwilling to say anything more. A moment later, when Shinobu piped up again, he wished he had.

"Sempai, what happened with……Naru?"

The word hung heavy in the air, as if a huge bell had tolled. Eventually, after trying on a variety of expressions for size, Keitaro seemed to settle on embarrassment.

"What gives you that idea? Hah, hah, ha-." The weak laugh and back-of-head-scratching ended rapidly as it became clear to him that Shinobu wasn't in the least bit fooled. If anything, she looked……sad.

"Auuuuu, Sempai……" The girl crooned, fighting her desire to reach out and glomp the man until her mind provided her with three salient facts.

One, they were alone.

Two, they were guaranteed to remain that way.

Three, she really really wanted to, and Keitaro looked like he really _really_ needed it.

"Oooooof!" The weight of a small but strong female body knocking him flat onto his back drove the wind from Keitaro's lungs, and thought from his mind. Almost on instinct his arms went around his assailant, and the result was a position that would be considered compromising by anyone's standards. Keitaro actually found it quite pleasant until his mind reminded him of three salient facts.

One, this was Shinobu.

Two, this was SHINOBU.

Three, Shinobu was crying again.

"What's wrong? Shinobu-chan?" He asked, puzzled.

"Is it that bad, Sempai? That you pretend just like Naru?" Shinobu sniffled, sad violet eyes looking square into brown. "That you can't tell anyone, can't tell……me?"

The silence which followed said more than words ever could. For an age the pair gazed at one another, Keitaro unable to escape the trap, Shinobu unwilling to release him. Eventually, something happened to break the endless moment.

The tiniest fleck of moisture escaped the corner of Keitaro's hazel eye, and began its journey towards the floor.

In that second, something within Shinobu snapped.

"Sempai, honestly. When were you going to go?" Caught unawares, Keitaro answered honestly.

"I don't know……but probably in the next few days." Nodding firmly, Shinobu gazed at the brown-haired man with something indefinable shining in her eyes. Eventually she spoke, her meek voice carrying a note of certainty within it.

"Then…..please take me with you."

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Naru shivered as a hint of the night breeze crept through the hallways of the Hinata-sou, spurring her to draw her peach dressing gown more tightly around her slim shoulders. It had taken at least an hour for Shinobu to come to the springs, and then a further ten minutes for her to find the solvent and deliver it to the incarcerated four. Oddly the girl had not subsequently arrived to bathe, something Naru put down to the lateness of the hour. Since then she had dried herself off, eaten an evening snack, dressed for bed and then spent another hour debating with her conscience over the whole Keitaro situation.

The result was the young lady travelling down a flight of stairs, and to the door belonging to the man in question. She had taken a deep breath, raised a fist to knock, and frozen.

And slowly lowered the hand, still staring at the door. Where she still stood several minutes later.

Taking another long look at the plain wooden surface before her, Naru sighed in resignation and turned away.

She couldn't do it, not yet. She just wasn't ready. Besides, there was class field trip in the next few days – she would have the opportunity to think about things then. Like Mitsune said, it wasn't as if she didn't have time, was it?

Nodding firmly to herself, the honey-haired girl walked away with a mental sigh of relief, glad to have avoided the sticky situation for that night, at least.

She had no idea how much she would grow to regret her decision.

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Well, that's all for chapter 2.

Chapter 3 is complete, and chapter 4 is under way – I hope to avoid long posting delays in this story by staying ahead of the game, so to speak.

Hope you enjoyed reading, and if you did I may see you next time!

'Til then,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi, It's Nodoka again.

Chapter 3 was hard to write at times, trying to balance plot progression and character focus isn't always my forte (as anyone who has read repercussions will doubtless know). I still think the speed of the story takes second place, but I'm making an attempt to find more of a balance this time.

I was amazed to find out on the stats page the above mentioned story has over 115,000 hits. I didn't think it'd get 115. I doubt that it's a particularly remarkable figure – heaven knows many other authors have ten or twenty times that, but it's heartening none the less.

One other thing – thanks a huge amount for each and every review! I've noted the comments a few have made about a particular aspect of my style, and although it'll still be appearing I am going to try and scale down my use of colour-based description. I admit that it can get a bit overbearing at times, but you live and learn…..

Anyway, time for the main business.

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Parallel Lives – Chapter 3

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Keitaro stared at Shinobu.

Shinobu stared right back.

"Please, Sempai." She whispered, voice barely audible above the rustling of trees in the nocturnal breeze beyond the window. All the same Keitaro heard it, primarily because the pair of them were laying together on his futon. It was a measure of the moment that neither person noticed they were in the sort of position normally only lovers occupied, and that their faces were so close that each could feel every breath the other took.

Oddly enough, both of them found the sensation pleasant.

"Why?" Keitaro asked, registering in the back of his mind an unspoken connection between Shinobu and blueberries.

"Because I want to." The girl replied making the same connection between Keitaro and mint, and also oddly enough pine (which might have something to do with the tree he'd not long climbed out of).

"But…..why?"

"Sempai….." Shinobu sighed, her violet eyes picking up only puzzlement in their brown counterparts. "You already feel like you're alone even though you're surrounded, don't you?" Sensing agreement, Shinobu sighed deeply and cast her gaze away, allowing her eyelids to slip closed. "Then let someone come with you. It doesn't have to be me, it can be anyone…..but being really lonely is horrible, knowing there's really no-one there to lend a hand, a shoulder, an ear……"

"Shinobu-chan....." Keitaro breathed, watching the girl before him visibly collect herself.

"So please Keitaro. Don't go alone." She pleaded, squeezing the man still in her grasp tightly and trying to get even closer than she already was. So close, in fact, that cheek met cheek.

Cue a simultaneous pause in breathing, as a pair of chronically shy individuals suddenly realised what they were doing.

Keitaro's primary reaction was ninety-nine percent fear, having a Pavlov's dog complex when it came to close physical contact with another person who did not possess a Y-Chromosome. But the remaining one percent was far too busy enjoying the simple warmth and affection, and thankfully that one percent currently held the casting vote. On Shinobu's part, the main response was a bright red glow to the aforementioned cheeks, which the girl hid by pressing one all the more firmly into those belonging to her impromptu bed-mate. After a few seconds where nothing remarkable or destructive happened the pair subconsciously relaxed into the embrace, emitting simultaneous sighs of relief.

"I'd love to have you with me, Shinobu-chan." Keitaro murmured, mouth an inch from the girl's ear. "But what about your parents? I doubt they'll be keen for you to go travelling with a man."

"It's okay, let me deal with that. I promise it'll be fine." Was the quiet answer.

"If you're sure…….what about the others? They're only going to see this in one way, and to be honest I wouldn't blame them. It could get pretty nasty when they catch up to us, and when they do, no holds will be barred." The Kanrinin half-joked, although the way he stiffened as he said so took any humour out of the words.

Shinobu frowned minutely, burrowing in even closer.

"They don't need to, it's not like you're kidnapping me."

"Never stopped them before." Keitaro answered plainly, a deep fondness for Shinobu swelling somewhere within. He couldn't remember the last time someone really stopped and _listened_, let him tell his side of the story. "They're so protective of you, and it's not surprising. I mean, not only are you the youngest but you're probably the _cutest_ girl in this place, and that's no mean feat……"

Silence descended, as Keitaro realised honesty could go too far sometimes. Given the way Shinobu had stopped moving, breathing, even blinking as her gleaming violet orbs stared at him from barely an inch away, she thought so too.

"Uh, sorry, mouth ran away from me -"

"Really?" The girl whispered, as if afraid raising her voice would shatter the moment like glass. "Really, Sempai?"

Normally, at this juncture, something would happen to halt proceedings. Either the scene would be interrupted by a fellow housemate (who would often then demand vengeance) or Keitaro himself would ruin it. Whether by foot-in-mouth disease, sheer nervousness or some form of comedic accident, things would go sour quicker than milk on a summer afternoon.

But today, all likely interrupters were under impromptu incarceration, and the Kanrinin would rather tap-dance on white-hot coals than destroy the hope glittering in Shinobu's eyes.

"Yes." If Keitaro thought the girl looked happy before, it was a candle against the sun that was Shinobu's smile the moment he uttered the word. In fact, being the recipient from such close quarters, Keitaro couldn't help but notice how beautiful a smiling Shinobu was.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you Sempai!" She gushed, actively rubbing her cheek against his in an unexpected impersonation of Kaolla Su. The way she was squeezing him was nowhere near the death grip the aforementioned foreign princess might have inflicted in the same position, but Keitaro would admit he found it a dozen times more pleasurable.

"Any time, Shinobu-chan." Easing her face back, Shinobu gazed with delight into the hazel eyes before her. In that moment, when she'd heard words she'd longed to hear spoken by the man she wished would say them, something changed within the girl.

Suddenly, the few centimetres that separated them were no longer an impenetrable barrier, or a wall that couldn't be breached. They were just an irritant, unwanted.

So Shinobu got rid of them.

"Mmmmph!" Keitaro squeaked as a pair of lips met his own. It was an entirely unfamiliar sensation, but not one that was unpleasant. In fact, as the contact continued without any unpleasant sequilae, the man found himself almost sinking into the warm glow which seemed to make the world just that little bit brighter. In truth he would probably have been happy to lay there enjoying the tender moment all night if it weren't for two things.

Who it _was,_ and who it _wasn't_.

Pulling away, Keitaro squinted up at Shinobu in confusion. The girl herself sighed gently with what sounded like contentment, before allowing the eyes which had closed to flutter open. Seconds later the anticipated blush richly adorned her cheeks, but although shyness filtered into her gaze she didn't look away.

"…..Wha?" The Kanrinin eventually uttered, unconsciously licking his lips.

"……I don't know." Shinobu replied, still not looking away.

"But Shinobu-chan, why?"

"I wanted to." The girl said bluntly, trying her best not to surrender to her meek side (who was currently watching the scene through her fingers, face a study in bashful horror).

"You do?" After a second, the potential for fallout penetrated Keitaro's stunned mind. "B-but it's not right, I mean, you're still only a girl….."

It was instantly apparent this was the wrong thing to say. Shinobu's face fell like share prices on black Wednesday.

"……I'm sorry Sempai. If I could be someone else I would be, someone you'd want to be with. But right now, I'm just a little girl with high hopes but nothing to offer……I'll go now." The girl whispered, eyes clouding, rain clearly visible on their horizon. Any attempts to get up were halted by the firm grip of a hand on her right forearm.

"No, I don't mean that." Keitaro whispered, urgency clear despite the quietness of his voice. "I-I'm honoured that you'd……kiss me, but…...You're not even fifteen yet, Shinobu-chan. And beyond the immediate, the reactions of others who live here, there's the eyes of society. It's not proper, even though I know you're more than able to make your own mind up……" The man paused, his expression growing sorrowful. "……And I don't think it's right for me either, right now, to be kissing anyone. I still don't know what I really want, or where I'm going."

For almost a minute, the sound of crickets chirruping in the night air filled the room.

"Yes, you're right. Well, half-right." Shinobu murmured, eyes thoughtful. "But…..please, let me come with you. I promise I won't cause you any trouble. I'm more mature than I look." Sensing the man still pinned beneath her beginning to waver, the girl pressed harder. "It's horrible being on your own, you need someone with you, a friend……and the others don't need to know we're together, do they?"

"……You're right." Keitaro eventually relented, at which Shinobu released a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

"I promise I'll help, Sempai." She grinned, noting a thoughtful look on her future travel-partner's face.

"Well, I suppose one thing we're going to have to change is that. We're bound to get funny looks when we're travelling together if you're calling me 'Sempai'." He mused, and would almost certainly have scratched his chin in thought if his hand wasn't still firmly wrapped around Shinobu's arm.

"In that case, can I call you……Keitaro-kun?" The little home-maker ventured in response, once again unconsciously holding her breath.

"Yeah, that sounds fine." It didn't seem to him that he'd done very much to provoke it, but once again the smile given off by the girl before him was almost blinding in its intensity.

"Okay, Keitaro-kun it is!" Deciding to celebrate another time (and very much aware that there were four people waiting for her to release them) Shinobu pressed onwards. "So, much as I'd like to say let's go right now, I'm afraid I can't tonight – there's a few things I need to attend to first."

"Yeah, I wasn't planning on going anywhere tonight." Keitaro confirmed, nodding. "Maybe tomorrow night, or even better Friday morning, early hours? You're always up first, and the only other who might be awake is Motoko – but at that time of morning she'll be busy training."

"Sounds good." The girl settled again with a happy sigh, unconsciously using a conveniently placed chest as a pillow……

"……Not that I'm complaining Shinobu-chan, but isn't lying here like this asking for trouble?" ……Until reality came knocking on the door, in the shape of Keitaro's part-anxious part-amused voice.

"Eeeeep!" Shinobu was upright with almost cartoonish speed; face the colour of ripe cherries. "S-Sempai, I-I'm sor-"

"It's Keitaro-kun isn't it, Shinobu-chan?" The apology died unsaid, and after a few moments of bringing her heart back down to normal speed the violet-haired girl managed to return the grin she was receiving.

"Yes…….Keitaro-kun." She breathed, as if tasting the words themselves.

"Well, I'm going to turn in for the night. See you tomorrow some time?" Nodding her agreement, Shinobu opened the door and stepped through, waving a cheery hand in farewell because she didn't really trust her voice at that moment in time. The stoic silence was maintained until she reached her own room one floor up, with her door closed and locked behind her. Then, if someone was stood just outside with their ear applied to it, they might just have heard the sigh of 'Auuuuu, Sempai' creep through the wood.

Followed by the creak of a bed as a freshly fainted girl landed upon it.

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Although being blessed her with antennae (via her hair), it would be fair to say that Naru sometimes lacked the ability to pick up that which was broadcasted by others – to see the face behind the expression, or hear the unspoken word. To put it simply, at her worst she had all the empathy of a shark.

A _loan_ shark.

A harsh comparison maybe, but not an unfair one.

Even so, she had picked up a change within the Hinata-sou between yesterday and today. It wasn't as if anyone was acting particularly differently – even the people that (for the time being) didn't exist – yet something wasn't quite the same. But, like a really annoying itch, she couldn't put her finger on it. So the other option was try to ignore it, and concentrate on what she was doing at the present time.

Which was studying.

Her field trip to Kyoto was coming up, and as it was somewhere she'd hoped to go again when she had a clearer head and more time to enjoy herself. Hence the tour booklet open on her table, one the girl was studying through her trademark thick lenses. It was Naru's intention to have a clear idea of which sights she wanted to take in when time allowed, and gain some knowledge of the place she was going so she could enjoy it more when she got there.

Unfortunately, she was half-way down the thirtieth page for what seemed like the thirtieth time – due to the fact her present concentration span was somewhere in the range of seven milliseconds.

Groaning in annoyance, the girl swept a loose strand of honey hair behind her ear and lifted the glasses from her face, bringing the other hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she stifled a yawn. Eyes closed, she deposited the glasses onto the guidebook now discarded before her and massaged her tightly closed eyes with her palms. When the second yawn arrived she decided not to bother fighting it, and instead threw both arms into the air in a leisurely stretch as she did so. A few seconds later she opened her eyes blearily, ignoring her table and instead staring out of the half-open window, into the ocean of sky that appeared beyond. In truth there was nothing to discern the flawless expanse that was the sky from a placid sea that particular day, nothing that was except for a cheerfully beaming sun which was already promising to turn the pleasant morning into something much warmer. In fact there hadn't been a single cloud to be seen since the first stirrings of dawn.

Naru knew this because she'd been staring out of the window the entire time.

Now, at somewhere approaching eleven, she was really fed up of watching the weather. What she really wanted wasn't a fine late spring morning, but a button to rewind time back to four AM which would let her catch up on the sleep she hadn't got.

It wasn't like her, not like her at all – but the young student couldn't deny Mitsune's words had shaken her the night before. Especially the idea that Keitaro might, somehow, grow tired of waiting. Even now, the thought of lifting the board sat across the hole in her floor filled her with both hope and dread – although, sadly, ever so slightly more of the latter than the former.

At least now she could entertain the idea without coming out in a cold sweat. Who knew, maybe she would gather up the confidence before her trip to Kyoto to make things right (or at least not so completely wrong).

Chuckling at the thought that Mitsune's habit for stirring the proverbial was actually proving useful for once, Naru took one final glance at the closed book before her and the glasses sat beside them before pushing away from the table and standing up stiffly. Stretching once again in a manner which could potentially cause nosebleeds to a faint-hearted male, the young lady decided a cup of coffee might just be the stimulus needed to make a fresh attack on her studies. At the very least, it would be a nice way to spend a spare half-hour of the day she had lecture-free. Grabbing the book she made for the door, already almost able to smell the aroma of the drink which awaited her.

By the time she'd reached the kitchen, the relative peace of the house had helped to ease her nerves. Filled as it was with fresh spring air filtering through open windows, and all but silent but for the faint sound of snoring emanating from Mitsune's room, her brief stroll along the pristinely clean passages was the very definition of pleasant. As expected the kitchen itself was vacant, so after dumping her book on the worktop she set the kettle boiling whilst fishing her favourite cup from a cupboard. Turning around to grab the coffee jar, Naru almost dropped the cup in her possession at the sight of a figure stood in the doorway.

"Shinobu-chan!" She gasped, hand reaching to her chest as if trying to calm the rapidly beating heart within.

"Naru-san."

"Sheesh, when did you learn ninja stealth techniques?" Getting her breathing and pulse back under control, Naru squinted at the diminutive figure, her arms laden by bags. "Speaking of which, why aren't you in school?"

"The kettle's boiled." Shinobu observed blandly, easing her way into the room.

"It has?" Turning around, the elder girl flicked the off switch upon the wall and poured some of the scalding water into her cup. Adding two spoonfuls of instant coffee to it, she began to stir absent-mindedly as she watched Shinobu hefting what seemed to be a months worth of groceries into the kitchen. Deciding that whatever was behind her friend's absence from school could wait, she put the cup down and approached her friend.

"Do you want a hand with those bags?" Receiving a half-smile in response, Naru took a few of the bags from the designated home-maker of the Hinata-sou, stumbling slightly as she was weighed down. "Sheesh, how much food have you bought? There's not a farmer's strike coming up, is there?"

"Always good to be prepared." Opening the fridge and stocking things away with practiced speed, Shinobu glanced at the older girl who was currently filling cupboards with several degrees less grace. It was strange, but some of the resentment she'd felt at Naru for whatever her undisclosed crime was had seeped away after the night before. Perhaps it was the fact that, whatever she had done, the upshot was a chance to be alone with Keitaro. And, of course, the other positives to come out of that clandestine meeting…..

Naru frowned slightly as the normally industrious girl beside her stood almost motionless, left hand brushing her lips, eyes gazing off into eternity. "Shinobu-chan, are you alright?"

"Uh? Oh yes, thank you Naru-san." As if the last few seconds hadn't happened Shinobu went back to filling the fridge, leaving Naru to wonder just how long her friend had been having absence episodes.

"There! All done." Eventually the violet-haired girl took a step back from the now jam-packed fridge, swiping her brow with one hand while proffering a half-full bottle of milk with the other. When Naru stared back in incomprehension Shinobu tilted her head amusedly, giving the bottle a little shake. "Your coffee?"

"Oh! Thanks." Making herself a cup, Naru glanced over at the girl who was now stacking a few boxes into another cupboard. "Would you like some?"

"Go on then." Shinobu acceded, tugging out a stool and mounting it to reach the higher shelves. Subconsciously Naru noted that there were a lot of things she liked, but very little in the way of things such as ramen-in-cups that a certain Kanrinin might tend to eat. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth (and remembering what happened the last time she questioned Shinobu) the student just shrugged the nagging sensation of wrongness off and smiled as she made a second cup of coffee.

"By the way, I wanted to apologise." Looking down as she stirred the cup, Naru missed the odd look Shinobu gave her over her shoulder.

"What for?"

"For accusing you of coming into my room unasked." Nudging the freshly prepared drink towards her friend, the honey-haired girl leaned easily on the counter. "I still don't know who it is, but I shouldn't have gone pointing fingers."

"It's okay." Stepping down from her perch, Shinobu shut the last cupboard with a definite 'clack'. Taking the offered coffee and blowing on it carefully, she glanced up at the taller girl through her fringe, muttering as she did. "Shame you're not so good at being magnanimous when it means something……"

"Huh?"

"Nothing, just thinking out loud." Taking a sip of her drink and trying to ignore the flush creeping up her neck, Shinobu caught sight of the Kyoto tour guide sat next to Naru's elbow. "Oh yeah, you're going on field trip next week, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Looking forward to it, there's a whole list of places I want to go while I'm there if I have the time. I might ask Motoko about it too, she should have some local knowledge."

"True. Mind you, she doesn't talk about her home town much."

"I suppose, but Motoko's never been much of a gossip." Draining the last mouthful from her mug Naru pushed herself up, picking the guidebook up as she did. "A few things I need to get done between now and then, though. On that subject……have you seen Keitaro anywhere around?"

Shinobu choked on her coffee.

It took a few seconds of frantic coughing and some solid thwacks to the back courtesy of Naru, but eventually she cleared enough of the hot liquid from her windpipe to speak.

"Not for a while, why?"

"Oh, no reason…..where was he?" Naru's attempt at nonchalance was poor at best, but Shinobu didn't feel like pointing it out. For a split-second she considered lying, but to do so just wouldn't be her.

She was useless at it anyway.

"He said he was going down to Haruka's. I think he was going to talk to her." As her older housemate seemed to consider going, it took all of Shinobu's will to not hold her breath.

"Oh, okay." Naru eventually said, clutching her tour guide with more force than necessary. "Just tell…..actually, forget it. It's nothing important." She finished, stalking archly into the living room without looking back.

The girl who remained in the kitchen put the still half-full cup on the worktop, in order to stop herself spilling it in her trembling hands. For several seconds the chance to accompany her 'Sempai' had seemed to hang in the balance, had Naru have made up her mind to go and find him……well, Shinobu couldn't predict the future perfectly, but it might well have led to some sort of resolution.

That could, in all probability, have taken away her chance before it had even arrived.

Sighing deeply in relief, the girl stared with wide violet eyes at her fingers until they ceased their shaking. Once stilled, they reached for one bag which had not been emptied, thanking her lucky stars Naru hadn't noticed that not all of the items she'd brought home with her were food. Not that there was anything incriminating within the bag, but anyone who saw the contents would ask questions she didn't want to have to answer.

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At the tea-shop, at that very moment, Haruka was setting her own half-full cup down and reaching for a cigarette. Once between her lips it was swiftly lit, and almost instantly an inch of tobacco turned to ash. Slowly exhaling enough smoke to create a fine mist which hung spectrally throughout the room, the slim woman absently tapped the spent portion of her stress relief stick into a tray placed beside her cup. Then, finally, she spoke.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Gotta say, I saw it coming." Another drag, a pause, and another plume of smoke slowly filtered through the room. "But Shinobu, seriously?"

"Yes."

"Can't say I saw that one coming." Knocking more used tobacco from the end of her cigarette, Haruka stared at Keitaro with a single raised eyebrow. "Why?"

"……I started wondering what I was sat waiting for."

"Fair enough." Another pause, another centimetre of cigarette consumed, and the mist became something approaching a fog. "You planning on coming back?"

"Yes. I think."

"Good. For a minute there I thought I was gonna have to send for Kanako. Doubt she'd have been as generous to the girls as you have." Internally, the proprietor of the Hinata tea-rooms shuddered. That wouldn't go well.

"You never know."

"But I can probably guess." Tapping the last of the ash from her now expired cigarette, Haruka let the butt fall from between her fingertips. "You know, they're not gonna take well to this. Especially given your choice of travelling companion."

"Hey, it's not like I begged her to come with me! It was the other way around to be honest." Keitaro protested, eyes wide at the apparent accusation.

"Don't think it's gonna matter to them." His 'aunt' picked up her cup and cradled it in her hands, gazing steadily at the young man opposite. "Besides, you could still have said no."

"I couldn't." Seeing disbelief written large on Haruka's features, the Kanrinin threw up his hands. "You weren't there Haruka-obasan! She was begging to come along, and she meant it too – I don't know why, but she was so insistent."

Haruka had a very good idea why but wisely stayed silent, allowing the 'obasan' to slide. This time.

"On top of that…..she's right. I need to get away, but going alone would probably not do much good. Besides, I've never really seen someone react like that before – to me going away, I mean. Sure, people have come after me in the past for one reason or another, but to be honest I reckon most of the girls up that hill would be happy to pack my bags and hand me the train ticket." Keitaro added, voice dropping to a mumble as he finished.

Haruka put down her mug and reached for another cigarette, which was smoked in lieu of smacking her 'nephew' around the head for being so dim. Although, given the proceedings of the last two years, she could hardly blame him for missing the blindingly obvious.

Keitaro being Keitaro didn't help either.

"Even so, there's gonna be hell to pay when you get back. I know you'd never take advantage of Shinobu; the devil would get frostbite before that happens. But we both know that some people up there might not see it the same way. Especially given the fact you'll be spending nights in each other's company." The dark-haired woman stated plainly.

Keitaro's jaw bounced off the table.

"But, what, no! Haruka-obasan!" He sputtered, before being soundly thwacked by a harisen.

"Second strike, Kei-bozu. I'm talking about just spending time together before going to bed." Taking another puff of her worst habit, Haruka carelessly tapped away the ash before mumbling under her breath. "Besides, you'll probably be sharing a room within the week. Sitting on your own when there's a good friend just next door? Been there, done that. Not for long either."

"Sorry, Haruka…..san?"

"Better. You're learning." The older woman deflected, pointing what remained of her cigarette at the man sat before her as her thin lips creasing into a humourless grin. "Look. You're travelling 'together', so everyone will assume you've done everything else 'together'. When was the last time Naru or Motoko listened to testimony _before_ passing judgement?"

"Well, it's not like we'll be sharing a bed." Keitaro retorted, ignoring the mocking edge that tinted Haruka's mouth. "And second, if I'm going to be hung from the rafters anyway then I may as well get used to the idea. There's no way I'll let Shinobu down now, not after I promised her she could come." He finished, meeting his aunt's sardonic gaze with honest determination. After a few seconds Haruka relaxed back in her chair, nodding slightly.

"Good answer." Finishing her second cigarette in as many minutes, the raven-haired woman idly took the butt from between her lips and cast it aside. "I'm all for you getting out of this place for a while, and if Shinobu goes with you all the better. For both of you." Picking up her mug again, Haruka's eyes narrowed hawk-like. "But if you do anything to hurt her, the girls up there won't even get the chance to lay their hands on you. I'll do the job for them."

"Understood." Pushing his seat back, Keitaro stood. "Well, there's a lot to do today. I'll keep you updated on what we're doing, so long as you keep it to yourself."

"Don't insult me." Haruka bit back, but with a voice tinged by humour.

"Great. Oh, and one other thing. I wouldn't -"

"Wouldn't what?" Haruka interrupted, taking a mouthful of her drink.

"Wouldn't drink that coffee, you've been using it as an ashtray." Keitaro couldn't help but grin as his aunt froze mid-swallow, eyes wide. Slowly, and in as ladylike a manner as was possible in the circumstances, she spat some brown fluid back into the cup before fishing into her mouth and withdrawing a very soggy cigarette end. Glaring at the offending item and then at her smirking nephew, Haruka dropped the offending object with obvious disgust.

"I suggest you leave. I have a shop to run." She ground out, silently warning that even a hint of laughter would be met with swift and brutal retribution.

Keitaro got the message.

"I'll uh…..bye!" He squeaked, beating a hasty retreat before the sniggers queuing to escape condemned him to a very painful punishment.

Watching the man leave, Haruka drummed her fingers on the table before her, before standing with a sigh. It was going to be a difficult task persuading the remaining residents to take up the slack while the resident Kanrinin and the designated housekeeper were on……sabbatical, but at the very least she could threaten them with the alternative.

Kanako.

For a moment, the café owner toyed with the idea of calling her…..temperamental adopted niece anyway to add a little spice to the mix, but eventually shrugged it off, deciding to keep the plan in reserve. Besides, it wasn't as if Kanako was bad or evil, she was simply passionate. Passionate about the very thing (or in this case person) that was getting the short end of the stick, even to the point of going on unofficial leave.

Yes, better to keep things simple at the Hinata-sou right now. Heaven knew there had been enough complicated already……

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Keitaro stared blearily at the clock, which still resolutely refused to reach five AM. The red neon numbers which had changed at a rate of one minute per hour for the entire night still insisted that it was, in fact, four fifty-eight. Certainly the darkness outside agreed with the clock's assessment, although the sleepy-eyed Kanrinin was sure that someone had pressed pause on time itself just to mock him.

Now, logic dictated that the best way to use an alarm clock was to set the alarm, go to sleep and then allow the alarm to do its stuff when the appropriate time came around. In normal situations, Keitaro would have done just that. However this situation was far from normal. And hence, the issue the man had was that while an alarm was quite an effective tool for waking the alarm setter when he wished to be awoken, it also had the potential to awaken anyone else in hearing distance.

Naru, who was only eight feet away and the other side of a thinly-boarded hole in the ceiling, certainly qualified.

The way to avoid this happening?

Make sure the alarm was shut off soon as it began, or even better stop it going off at all.

When that point is considered, it has to be asked, why not turn it off now? Given the fact it was only two minutes (or by this point, one minute) until the destined alarm time, it would seem to make perfect sense to just cancel it and leave early. Unfortunately, the human mind does not always work along this sort of logical plane.

At least Keitaro's didn't at five in the morning. Hence the man fixedly staring at the clock, almost begging it to finally tick through the last minute so he could turn it off and be on his way. In the meantime, he reassured himself that everything was going to plan – at least he knew Naru was still fast asleep.

How? Well, it was thanks to a little-known fact, and anyone in possession of it kept it secret on pain of, well, pain.

Naru snored. Loudly.

The first time Keitaro had heard it, he'd wondered when a nineteen-stone male smoker had started sleeping in what was meant to be a young girl's room. It wasn't a buzz-saw snore by any means, but it was far from the petite noise he'd anticipated someone like Naru making in her sleep. Thankfully, that very noise had been coming rhythmically through the ceiling for the last six hours. There was something almost comforting about it, the way it came and went with every breath…..

Then the alarm went off, and Keitaro nearly joined Naru in the room above.

Slapping the big button atop the clock and silencing the alarm almost instantly, he listened intently for any sign of movement from the girl sleeping nearby. For a few seconds there was an alarming quiet, one that went on just long enough to fray every last nerve Keitaro had left. Just as he was about to grab his bag and make a run for it anyway the sound of snoring returned with its usual metronomic quality, allowing him to breathe again.

Tiptoeing over to his wardrobe the man reached inside and carefully withdrew his case, before making as stealthy an exit as was possible for someone possessing two left feet. Heading down the stairs, Keitaro's heart gave a tiny and unexpected 'jolt' when he took in the sight of Shinobu stood waiting for him, sweet smile gracing her mouth.

"Good morning Keitaro-kun." She said, bowing the best she could with a large suitcase clasped in her petite hands.

"Morning Shinobu-chan." Keitaro whispered back, returning the bow. Formalities over the pair gazed at one another, each subconsciously noticing the way their pulses ran just that little bit faster as they did so.

"All ready for the trip?" The Kanrinin eventually asked, trying to ignore the fact that Shinobu looked really cute at five in the morning.

"Yes, I've got everything." Shinobu replied, hefting her case. "Where are we going?"

"Ah, I'm not sure……" Keitaro laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head as he did so. "I was thinking away from Kyoto – Naru is heading there soon, so that's officially a bad idea. Maybe head north?"

"Sounds good to me." Glancing up at her 'Sempai', Shinobu tapped her foot nervously. "Do we have enough money?"

"Yeah, enough for a week at least if we find somewhere cheap….." Keitaro broke off as a faint sound of beeping drifted through the peaceful night air. Very familiar beeping, of the same tone he'd heard only five minutes previously. At that moment, he realised that the big button on the top of the clock was not, in fact, the 'off' button.

It was the 'snooze' button.

"Oh sh-" About to break into a sprint, Keitaro instead froze as the beeping once again fell silent. The confusion at the unexpected turn of events quickly turned to horror as the unmistakeable sound of soft footfalls, gradually coming closer, told him the game was well and truly up.

"You gotta be more careful Keitaros." Horror instantly turned back to confusion as Keitaro's sleepy eyes took in the sight of Kaolla Su descending the stairs, dressed only in a sleek silken green nightgown that hugged her figure with the tightness angry mother bear, Keitaro's clock held tightly in her left hand. Even more remarkable was the fact that she was walking both sedately and quietly, bare feet padding cat-like along the wooden floorboards. Reaching the middle of the lobby, Kaolla grinned widely at the pair stood paralysed before her, sporting matching expressions of shock. "Ya know they make the snooze button big so ya can hit it easy, but make the alarm off switch small so you gotta think about doin' it."

"Su-chan?" Keitaro eventually managed, which only made the grin bigger.

"Yep, the one and only! Come to say goodbye." She crowed, albeit quietly.

"How did you….."

"I told her, Sem- Keitaro-kun." Shinobu said meekly, gazing at the floor. "I didn't expect her to come and send us off though."

"Good thing you did, otherwise we'd be going nowhere." Breathed the Kanrinin in relief. "But how did you know about the alarm?"

"I have ways……" As Keitaro's eyes grew wide at the implications of the statement, Su let out the most restrained guffaw she'd ever allowed past her lips. "Nah, it was a hunch. I do the same thing every morning. I do have ways, but sometimes instinct works better."

"Well, thanks." Eyeing the tan princess before him, Keitaro asked the first thing to come into his mind. "Does that mean - "

"I'm on your side? Yep! I'm gonna be helpin' you out by playin' one of my favourite games, misdirection!" The girl giggled, jumping onto Keitaro's back and clinging on in classic Kaolla style - wrapping her unclad legs around the man's waist and draping her arms over his shoulders. "Anyone askin' me to find ya might find more than they bargained for! And not only that - " Reaching into some sort of pocket in her sheer nightgown, the girl withdrew from apparently nowhere a wad of notes big enough to be used as a house brick. "Here's a little somethin' to help ya along the way!"

"Wha?" Taking the proffered stack of money, Keitaro's mouth dropped open so wide it could have been used as a garage for a reasonably large family sedan.

"Benefits of bein' a princess – the allowances rock! An' don't even think of tryin' to give it back, I ain't letting you." Completely gobsmacked, the man she was currently using as a climbing frame opened and closed his mouth in an almost piscine manner before reaching out to take the offered cash

"I-I don't know what to say…..why are you doing this Su-chan?"

"'Cause I want to! And……" At that moment the girl turned her head to look at Shinobu, who was still gazing fixedly at the floor, a hint of redness adorning her cheeks. "…..'Cause I reckon my best friend is more than worth it. I reckon she's due her chance."

"Chance?" Looking between the pair, Su grinning with more teeth than an entire denture factory on display and Shinobu growing a more scarlet shade of red by the second, Keitaro blinked in confusion. "What chance?"

"The chance to travel of course!" Bouncing from her perch the girl flew over to her friend, encasing her in a whole-hearted hug. "Have fun, Shinobu-chan. It'll all work out, I betcha my last banana."

"Y-yeah, thanks Su-chan. You take care." The violet-haired girl replied, mumbling somewhere into Su's shoulder.

"Sweet." Releasing the girl Su extended a tanned hand. "So, got the letter?"

"Yes." Realising the questioning glance she was getting from her travelling partner, Shinobu explained. "It's just explaining our absences; I didn't think it would be fair to go without letting people know we were ok."

"Yeah, didn't think of that. Good idea, Shinobu." Keitaro breathed, watching as the girl place the letter on the table with a shy smile. Secretly, Shinobu was very very glad that she hadn't been quizzed on the contents of the letter – as far as Keitaro was concerned the girls would believe they were travelling apart.

The contents of the letter told a far more accurate story.

It had been Su who had pushed Shinobu into writing the contents, as although the words were hers, the little home-maker of the Hinata-sou wouldn't have possessed the bravery to put them to paper otherwise. It was only when Su remarked that the holiday would be nothing more than just that, a holiday, unless things changed that Shinobu had built up the courage to be a little more forthright with her writing.

Things had to change. She didn't want to come back and find life returning to 'normal'.

Normal wouldn't give her a chance.

The result was still polite by anyone else's standards, but far and away the most critical Shinobu had ever been of, well, anyone. It would certainly be enough to raise a few eyebrows come morning.

"All set?" Keitaro asked, stashing the notes in a variety of pockets.

"Yes, Keitaro-kun." Shinobu answered, lifting her suitcase with the hint of a grimace. One her companion noticed.

"Let me take that." He offered, extending a hand. The result was a smile which seemed to warm him from the feet up, as the diminutive girl placed her case in his grasp before adjusting the straps of her purple handbag which hung off her shoulder. Returning the smile, Keitaro strode through the door which Su had opened and into the cool night air, Shinobu beside him.

"Bye." Su whispered, receiving a nod and a waved hand in response. Stood in the doorway the Molmolian watched as both figures reached the top of the stairway and descended, until the very top of Keitaro's scruffy brown mop disappeared from view. After shutting the door quietly she ascended back to her room, silently wishing her friend good luck whilst trying to ignore the wistful tears collecting in the corner of her eyes.

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That's all for another chapter.

Should be about two weeks for the next as usual.

Hope you enjoyed!

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	4. Chapter 4

Hi, it's Nodoka back again.

Not much to say at the moment, except thanks to those who reviewed, and I hope you enjoy the latest instalment.

On with the show.

* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 4

* * *

Despite the hour, the train station was busy. The queues for ticket machines were already beginning to grow, whilst dozens of people yawned and blinked sleep out of their eyes as they perused the latest expected departure times. Shinobu found herself gazing upwards with the rest of the crowd, despite the fact she didn't know quite which train she would be travelling on yet.

She hoped it wasn't the Hiroshima train. If so, she'd be waiting a while.

The girl had no reason to expect they were followed, or even for their departure to be discovered for a couple of hours yet. But all the same, it would calm her nerves no end if she could actually get on board a train to somewhere and get moving. Whichever way it was, so long as it was away from Hinata town. Even though it was not yet six in the morning, and the sun had only just begun to consider putting in an appearance, each second that ticked by seemed to be a second wasted.

Putting her cold hands deep into the pockets of her dark blue jacket, Shinobu almost leapt out of her skin as someone bumped into her shoulder. A hurried glance reassured her it was only yet another suited businessman, who had chosen to ignore certain niceties (such as not running into people) in order to catch the express to Tokyo city centre.

Why the rush, she had no idea. The next one was only ten minutes away.

Shifting her feet, the petite figure pondered exactly why she was so scared of being caught. As she'd said before, it wasn't as if she was doing anything wrong – or that Keitaro was either. And although she had placed a lot of hope on the trip (more than she should have, really) that didn't completely explain it either. Perhaps it was because of the man she was travelling with, and what would happen to him should he be dragged back to the Hinata-sou. There would be punishment for his 'kidnapping', yes, but being plunged back into whatever little corner of hell he was trying to escape from would have to be worse……..

"You okay Shinobu-chan?" The person at the centre of her thoughts appeared, pair of tickets clearly visible in his hand.

"Yes thanks." Glancing at the tickets, Shinobu nodded. "So, where are we going?"

"Sapporo."

"Okay." Taking the proffered slip of paper, the girl examined the writing upon it. Satisfied, she slipped it into her handbag carefully. "Can we afford to go that far?"

"Since Su's gift, we could go to the Bahamas if we wanted to. Besides, your ticket was half the price, so it's not that bad." Keitaro answered, picking up the two cases Shinobu had been standing guard over.

"That's handy." Glancing at the pair of heavy bags and the man stood holding them both with a slightly fixed grin, the girl extended a hand. "Honestly, I don't mind carrying one….."

"It's fine. Now, we've got to get to platform nine, which I think it this way." Nodding his head in the direction of the general flow of people Keitaro set off, Shinobu only half a step behind him.

After successfully negotiating the ticket barriers and taking a brief detour to the newsagents for something to take on the ride, the pair found themselves stood in the dawn light upon the aforementioned platform. Shinobu, who had done relatively little travelling in her life so far, found herself watching the trains coming and going with something approaching amazement. The sheer volume of people who quickly filed off and on every one, each one making a journey of importance for one reason or another.

It reminded her of an ant farm, only with substantially bigger and better dressed ants.

In fact, so distracted was she by the endless motion that the first hint her departure time was drawing close was a nudge to her arm from Keitaro, who was stood quietly beside her and studying the screen hanging down from the platform roof. Blinking slowly, the girl turned her attention to him.

"Yes, Sem- Keitaro-kun?"

"We're due to board in a couple of minutes, just to let you know." The Kanrinin answered, pointing up at the display. Shinobu stared at it, noticing the sizeable list of stops along the route, many of which indicated places she'd never even thought of visiting because they seemed so distant.

"Wow, I didn't realise we'd be going that far." She murmured, suddenly struck by the reality of the situation. For the first time in her life she was going somewhere, somewhere a long way away, with only herself and one other to rely on. The moment she stepped on the train, the mundane life of Shinobu Maehara would go on hiatus – for how long she had no idea. For a second the girl felt her breath catch in her throat, the enormity of the world and her own natural shyness coming into focus. Having spent her life out of the spotlight and sheltering from the world, she'd eventually landed up at the Hinata-sou where she had been content to simply enjoy being anonymous. True, been pulled out on escapades before by her friends, each one more entertaining and unpredictable than the last…..yet stood on here on the platform, the situation was suddenly completely different. This time she wasn't going just for someone else's sake.

She was going for her own.

"Looks like this is the one. Ready Shinobu-chan?" Dragged out of her introspection, the girl focussed first on the sleek white shape gliding into view before her, and then up at Keitaro who favoured her with a genuine smile.

And suddenly, the whole idea wasn't so daunting.

"Yes." The girl chirped, gripping onto her bag with one hand and onto Keitaro's arm with the other, determination set in her face. If Keitaro noticed her hold on him, he didn't mention it.

"Okay. Sapporo, here we come." He stated, striding forwards as the electronic doors swept open as if ushering them on-board. Still holding tightly onto his arm Shinobu carefully stepped aboard alongside him, not daring to let go until the doors closed behind her.

Which they almost instantly did, with an electronic sigh.

Turning around, her hand still finding purchase on Keitaro's sleeve, Shinobu stared out of the door and waited. Waited until the tiniest lurch of movement passed through her feet, and the world outside began moving of its own accord. Only then did she let go, looking up as the man beside her looked down. Violet eyes met brown, and both of the travellers smiled as they returned their gazes to the sight before them.

They were on their way.

* * *

Motoko had, for the entire morning, been unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong around the Hinata-sou. Call it warrior's instinct or woman's intuition, but for the entirety of her morning practice the swordsmistress just knew it would prove to be in interesting day.

It was as she was finishing her last kata and wiping the perspiration from her fair-skinned brow that the sound of rapid footfalls heralded the confirmation of her suspicions.

"Motoko-san! Meeting, downstairs, five minutes!" Naru panted, her face flushed. Before Motoko could open her mouth to ask why her friend had vanished, with a speed that would have rivalled the heir to the Shinmei-ryu in full flight. Deciding that asking the cloud of dust left behind would prove unproductive, the raven-haired figure sheathed her katana and strode with rapid but measured footsteps towards the entrance to the upper deck.

There were few things that would cause Motoko Aoyama to truly hurry. The presence of her sister was one and the presence of perversion was another. However, her innate sense of wrongness plus Naru's anxiety told her something was happening – and whatever it was, it wouldn't do to be dawdling.

By the time she'd arrived at the table a half-asleep Mitsune was half-way down a cup of coffee, Su was eating her second banana, and Naru was holding a letter in a hand which didn't know if it was shaking in rage or anguish. Taking in the apparently innocent sheet of paper and the way it crumpled in the honey-eyed girls' fingers, Motoko assumed it didn't contain a final demand for a water bill.

"What appears to be the cause of this fuss, Naru-san?" She asked smoothly, taking her usual place at the table and gazing at the irate figure that was stood bolt upright with metaphorical steam coming out of her ears.

"They've gone!" Came the rapid response.

"They who?"

"Keitaro!" Glancing at the occupants of the table, the swordsmistress agreed that Naru may well be correct – given his absence at breakfast.

"Yes, it would appear he is not here. But people leave, and indeed return, all of the time – it was not long ago we all went on a trip to regain our oft wayward Kanrinin. May I ask why you appear so excited by such an event?"

"'Cause Shinobu's gone with him." Su piped up, finishing her banana and favouring the table with a grin.

Suddenly, numerous things became noticeable to Motoko. The absence of any breakfast, with the exception of a bunch of yellow fruit before the Hinatas' resident bananivore and a cup of coffee in Mitsune's hands, and the lack of any cooking smell coming from the nearby kitchen. The fact that it was Naru herself who had summoned her from her dawn training, rather than Shinobu. Additionally, now that she wasn't waving the piece of paper around as if it were on fire Motoko could detect her younger friend's loopy handwriting upon the page, adorning its surface in blue ink.

The Kendoist sat up just that little bit straighter, olive eyes suddenly focussed.

"Shinobu? What business does that man have taking an innocent girl with him?" She queried, tone frosty.

"That's the thing…..he hasn't." Naru stared at the paper in her grasp, transfixed.

"Yet you say they have gone together."

"What Naru-chan means is _she_ went with_ him_." Mitsune put in, clearly too hung over to be in the mood for messing about.

"I do not understand……" Motoko stated blandly. Sighing under her breath, Mitsune reached out and pinched the paper from Naru's stunned fingers, taking a long slurp of her drink as she did so.

"Well, I reckon the best way to help ya understand is to just read the letter. So if ya give me a bit of silence, I'm gonna do just that." The fox said, shooting a narrow-eyed glare at Naru as her friend tried to snatch the offending sheets back. "Look Naru-chan, it's way too early to be playin' pass the parcel right now. 'Sides, all I've got outta you is 'stupid pervert' and 'how could he' on endless repeat, I wanna get the details too."

"Mitsune-san is right. Let us all hear the contents of the letter." Motoko stated, at which Naru sat down with an audible 'huff', scowl marring her pretty face.

"Ta Motoko-san. Okay, here goes….." Clearing her throat Mitsune's grey eyes scanned the opening lines. "Well, first it's addressed ta all of us, so it's somethin' she wants us all ta hear. Here we are….." The silver fox paused, eyebrows disappearing towards her hairline. As the pause grew longer and longer, Motoko leaned forward in her chair.

"What is the matter, Mitsune-san?"

"Oh nothin'. Just like keepin' you in suspense, that's all." Grinning at the now quietly fuming swordsmistress Mitsune re-cleared her throat and began; perhaps sensing annoying Motoko too much was not a good plan. "……_Hello, it's Shinobu, and I'm writing to let you all know I'm going to be leaving for a while. It's not really fair to disappear off without a word; I guess some people might be worried about my safety if I did. I'm perfectly fine, as I'm not going to be travelling alone – Keitaro is with me. I trust my Sempai with my life, and I know that I'll be fine so long as I'm with him._" As she read on, Mitsune's eyebrows did begin to lift slightly, this time unconsciously. "_I also wrote the letter because I want to make a few things clear to a few people who seem to misunderstand anything and everything, even if they believe it to be for the good of the Hinata-sou. So let me start by saying this – Do NOT try and find us! By the time you read this, we will be on a train and a long way from here."_

A long silence followed this statement, during which Motoko and Mitsune exchanged surprised glances while Naru stared accusingly at the table as if it were somehow to blame. Returning her eyes to the letter, the Fox continued reading. "_I know the automatic response whenever something like this happens – Keitaro's fault until proven otherwise, and it's not like anyone ever tries to actually find out the truth. So let me spell it out for anyone and everyone – I am going with him of my free will. In fact, I begged him to take me when he went on his journey! He was preparing to leave alone, again, and this time not because of something he's done. I won't let him be alone, not when he's broken the way he is_."

The silence following this was longer and more loaded than the last, as Mitsune read the following line silently before allowing her grey eyes to slowly turn and focus on her best friend, who was sat as a wayward student awaiting the teacher's wrath. Almost as if aware of the focus upon her, Naru felt the hands planted firmly on her skirt-clad thighs curl into fists.

"Go on Kitsune-chan, read it." She ground out, obstinately refusing to look up.

"Well, if you're sure……" Returning attention to the letter, Mitsune went on. "_I don't know how long we will be away, but I'm going to stay with Keitaro until he's ready to come back. And one last thing - to those who have pushed him away, and they know who they are, I ask a simple question. Why?_"

This silence was truly deafening, and seemed to last far longer than the normal laws of physics allowed.

"That's the last of the letter." Mitsune stated needlessly, folding the offending paper in half and placing it on the table before her.

Crickets chirruped.

Birds sang.

And Naru exploded.

"Tha-that…..Dammit!" Slamming her palms on the wooden surface before her, the honey-haired girl sprang to her feet, the chair behind her clattering to the floor. "How could he…..how could she?! If he so much as touches her - forget it, his head is mine the moment I find him!" She raged, breaths shallow and ragged.

"Naru-chan, don't ya think you're over-reacting?" The moment the question left her lips, Mitsune wished it hadn't. Naru was pissed, and a pissed Naru didn't need a reason, only a target.

"Over-reacting? That lecherous pervert is out there right now with Shinobu, who knows what kind of liberties he might take?!" The girl spat, eyes burning as Mitsune sank slightly in her chair. Bracing herself as her friend prepared for another barrage of ire, the silver fox had never been so glad to hear a cool voice ring out to her right.

"Naru-san, please do not make such a scene." Motoko said, olive eyes placating.

Like a fire being rinsed by a hose, Naru's anger fizzled out. Like Mitsune, she could sense it really wasn't a good idea to annoy the heir to the Shinmei-ryu.

"While I agree with your intent, which is to speedily recover our youngest colleague, her letter states most explicitly that she does not wish us to do so." The swordsmistress continued calmly, slightly surprised at her own reaction. Normally she would be second in line to perform punishment, but something about Shinobu's letter had resonated within her.

"How do you know - "

"He didn't force her to write it?" Mitsune finished Naru's sentence mockingly. "Get real, the guy couldn't force his way out of a wet paper bag."

"I still think we should find them and drag them back here." Naru growled.

"I reckon so too. Thing is, I'm not screamin' about it." Eyeing her friend with a practised look, Mitsune let a tiny grin pinch her mouth. "I gotta say, you're sure reactin' a bit strong Naru-chan. Care to tell the audience why?"

"I-" It was at that moment the honey-haired girl realised she was the centre of attention, Motoko and Su (the latter consuming yet another banana) watching her with undisguised interest. "…..I just want to make sure Shinobu's safe, that's all." She finished weakly, voice giving out at the same moment as her legs as she slumped back into her seat.

Which, sadly, was still on the floor.

Quiet reigned around the table as more than one person tried to reign in their laughter.

Unfortunately one person at the table had no such compulsion.

"Su-chan, please calm down." Motoko chided gently, as the Molmolian's peals of laughter accompanied the re-appearance of a red-faced Narusegawa. Picking up her chair the Tokyo-U student slumped down into it, wishing that she could give Su a dirty look but knowing she'd never be able to maintain it in the face of the irreverent princess' giggling.

"Well, back on the subject, how are we going to find them?" Mitsune mused, chin on her palm.

"There's no indication here as to their intended destination. In fact, if I know Urashima even a little, I severely doubt that he would have considered such things prior to leaving." Looking around at the assembled company, Motoko folded her arms. "Does anyone here have any idea where they have gone?"

She received two head shakes from her senior housemates, and energetic nodding from the younger girl opposite. "Su-chan? You know where they have gone?"

"Yep!" Su chirped, discarding another spent banana peel.

"So?" Naru urged when the girl displayed no intention of giving any details. "Where have they gone?"

"The train station."

"……" Trying her best to leave her hair where it belonged (that being in her head) Naru tiredly pinched the bridge of her nose. "I should have known better than to ask."

"Su-chan does make a good point, however." Motoko interjected smoothly. "At the very least, we may be able to find out the destination of their tickets at the station. Also, Haruka may be aware of something we are not; I sincerely doubt Urashima would have left without informing her."

"Good a place to start as any." Fiddling with the piece of paper still before her, Mitsune couldn't help but be drawn back to the last line.

'_To those of you who have driven him away…..I ask a simple question. Why?'_

Why indeed? And additionally, why did she feel culpable as any of the others sat at the table?

"Okay, we'll get going this morning. Time of the essence, so they say." Naru stated, shaking the fox out of her daydreaming. "So, what's for breakfast?"

For a long second the four looked at one another, as if only now realising that having a certain resident absent was going to cause more than just concern for her safety.

"I'll do it!" Su volunteered, flipping into a standing position atop her chair and firing off a salute which would have had left even the most stringent Sergeant Major misty-eyed.

Three sweatdrops descended simultaneously.

"Tell ya what, I'll put the kettle on and you do some cereal Naru-chan." Mitsune put in, getting up with more speed than she would normally manage at that time of the morning.

"Sounds good." The antennae'd girl quickly agreed, almost flat-out sprinting to the kitchen.

Watching the pair go, Motoko turned to Su the moment the kitchen door swung shut.

"You weren't really going to cook breakfast, were you?"

"Nope! Shinobu would never forgive me 'cause we can't afford another new kitchen."

"Just checking."

* * *

The passing scenery had ceased to interest Keitaro at least an hour before. Not that there was a lot really visible given the speed the train was travelling at, quite obviously no horses were being spared by the driver on this particular day. In truth, all the man wanted to do was close his heavy-lidded eyes and sleep, a technique renowned the world over among travellers who wished for their journey to pass more quickly. The wakeful night which had passed before also added to the desire, one that was becoming difficult to resist.

The reason he was resisting at all?

Shinobu had given in first.

Yawning widely, Keitaro glanced down at the slumbering girl who was currently using his right shoulder as an impromptu pillow. If it were in any other situation he would be more than a little anxious – in fact he'd probably be sweating bullets. But the fact that he was sitting aboard a high-speed train, one travelling away from anyone who might take issue with their proximity, was enough to give even him some peace of mind. Given the chance to reflect on the situation, he realised it was actually quite nice to be used as a piece of furniture by someone he was becoming more than a bit fond of.

Shinobu had started the journey with bright-eyed enthusiasm, seemingly keen to take in everything she possibly could from the experience. That had lasted ten minutes at most, as the rhythmic motion of the train had first drawn a large yawn from the girl, before rapidly lulling her into unconsciousness. While her fellow traveller would have loved to have joined her in slumber land, the few traces of masculinity within him demanded that he stand guard.

Or sit guard in this case.

It was taking all of Keitaro's will power not to reach his free hand across to stroke the violet locks that framed Shinobu's face, almost transfixed by the way the light shimmered off each strand as the motion of the moving train gently rocked the pair. Before a few nights before, he'd never had the chance to get close enough to the girl to really appreciate how…..cute she was.

He was most certainly appreciating it now.

In fact, he found himself appreciating it more than he found comfortable.

He was twenty-one. She was fourteen. That alone was enough. Add to that the fact that he was still suspended in limbo, hung from strings that he seemed to have no power to untie……

Inwardly the bespectacled man cursed, wishing his thoughts hadn't run down that particular dark alley yet again. But it was as if his traitorous mind had been sat waiting for the moment when he let his guard down, even if only for a second – and trying to defy the memories was like trying to defy a hurricane with a hand-held fan. Sighing audibly and unconsciously tightening his hold on Shinobu, Keitaro returned his gaze to the passing countryside, in the vain hope that it might prove some sort of distraction.

This proved to be fruitless because the train chose that moment to enter a tunnel.

Sighing more loudly, Keitaro cast around for something else to focus on.

"Mmmmm, peaches….." And got one as Shinobu cuddled more firmly into his side, obviously enjoying her comatose dreams more than Keitaro was enjoying his waking ones. For a few moments he considered waking her to make conversation, but decided that she seemed to be more than happy as she was.

Unfortunately for Shinobu the driver of the train seemed to be enjoying his day also, demonstrated by the prolonged, enthusiastic and most of all loud blast of the trains' horn – a noise which resounded clarion-like through the narrow enclosure of the tunnel. Almost instantly he became the most unpopular person on board as two-thirds of the population of the train awoke simultaneously from their travel-induced naps, Shinobu among them. The girl's eyes fluttered open, and they were followed shortly by her mouth as a sizeable yawn escaped.

"Morning Shinobu-chan." Keitaro said quietly, drawing her violet gaze upwards. For a moment Shinobu's eyes widened, whether due to recollection or surprise at their proximity it couldn't be said. If it was the latter, the way she happily settled back into her position with a smile suggested she was far from troubled by it.

"Morning Se-Keitaro-kun." She answered, voice still carrying the weight of drowsiness upon it. "Where are we?"

"About three hours out of Hinata."

"Good." Inwardly, the girl grinned madly at the fact she was currently using her 'Sempai' as a cushion, all the while wondering where her sudden influx of nerve had come from.

Not that she was complaining, of course.

"I know we left before we could book anything, but any ideas were we'll stay?" She asked, letting her gaze drift onto the back of the chair before her and idly wondering why the 'no smoking' sign upon it was affixed next to what appeared to be an ashtray.

"Well, we've got enough for quite a while in a pretty nice hotel. I don't want to blow all of Su's money, but if she's that keen we enjoy ourselves we may as well make sure we're comfortable at least." Keitaro answered, swallowing a yawn. "We'll book ourselves into somewhere near the station when we get in, and then have a look around."

"Sounds fine to me." Shinobu agreed. "Besides, we can always move on if we want to. We've come up here to get away from it all, so no point being narrow-minded."

"Yeah….." Glancing up to see shadows crossing her companion's hazel eyes, Shinobu cursed inwardly.

"Keitaro-kun?" She called, hoping to pull him out of his thoughts again.

"……Hmmmm?" Came the distracted reply as the man gazed at something in the middle-distance, seemingly unaware what the fingers of his left hand were doing.

Which was running themselves through Shinobu's hair.

The now scarlet-faced girl found herself at a quandary – while she didn't want Keitaro to be dwelling too much, at least not here and now where she could do nothing about it, she also doubted that he would continue stroking her hair if he was the least bit aware of what he was doing.

Oh lord above did she want him to continue. The sensation was heavenly, enough to send a not-so-tiny shudder of pleasure through her small frame, goose pimples appearing on the exposed skin of her arms. In fact, Shinobu was certain that if she could purr she'd be doing a good impression of a very contented cat.

Much to her secret annoyance, the side of her which dealt with moral choices told her she should really knock Keitaro out of his funk.

"Keitaro-kun." She called more firmly this time, giving the man a nudge in the ribs with her shoulder as she did so.

"Huh?" Blinking dazedly, the ex-ronin seemed to take his time returning to reality. When he did, his own cheeks coloured as he realised what his hand had been doing in his absence. However attempts to move the offending appendage proved futile, as a small hand firmly wrapped around his wrist held it in place.

"Please don't stop."

"But Shinobu-chan….." Keitaro's protests barely had time to begin before they were cut off.

"Look, why stop? No-one here cares, no-one's going to scream at you or attack you just for touching my head." Shinobu admonished. "Besides, I like it. Like it a lot……so please don't stop." She added, tone and expression growing bashful.

For a few long seconds the pair sat motionless, as if neither one sure how the moment was going to play out.

Then, slightly more tentatively than before, fingers began travelling through violet locks once again.

Almost visibly both figures relaxed into one another, Keitaro speeding up his ministrations as the sensations soothed them both. After several very comfortable minutes Shinobu peered up at the man beside her, to see closed eyes and a smile the likes of which she hadn't seen for weeks perched upon her friend's mouth. Feeling herself smile in response, she allowed her own eyes to slip shut and let the pleasure of simple contact take over. She didn't realise just how obvious her enjoyment was, or see Keitaro crack open an eye and glance down at her, amused at the noise the petite girl emitted.

If that wasn't a purr, he didn't know what was.

* * *

Haruka Urashima didn't appreciate being disturbed; she was a busy woman much of the time, and being the proprietor of her very own café she was more often than not working flat out, whether it be due to the annoyance that was paperwork or appeasing her clientèle. Some people were exceptions – those who would wait for her to come to them, or those who would only bother her when it was strictly necessary.

So, when the door to her café opened mid-way through the morning and admitted a group of four girls in varying states of agitation, she could just _feel_ the migraine starting already.

"- said she didn't see anyone, Naru." Mitsune stated, the tiniest hint of exasperation in her tone.

"I was just making sure she was certain!" Her friend retorted, honey eyes flashing with annoyance.

"You didn't have to threaten her though."

"It wasn't a threat! It was just a…..way to jog her memory." Naru said defensively, crossing arms across her chest.

"The poor girl was cryin' for goodness sake. I've never been 'politely escorted' from a train station before – the occasional bar, yes, but never a train station." Mitsune sighed, wishing that her friends volcanic temper was a little less, well, volcanic.

"Naru-san, they serve several hundred people an hour at the ticket office. It is something of a stretch to imagine that a salesperson could remember two individuals specifically during that time, even if one of them does have a very distinctive hair colour." Motoko put in coolly, folded arms the only indication that she also was a little annoyed at the whole situation. "Additionally, I spied multiple ticket machines in the lobby – you may find it a little more difficult to question _them_."

There was a brief pause in the conversation as everyone present stared at the swordsmistress, who raised an elegant eyebrow.

"What? I am perfectly capable of sarcasm, I would have you know."

"……Anyway, all I'm sayin' is that we're not gonna be gettin' any more info from the station. We'll be lucky if they even let us _in_ again." Mitsune summarised with a roll of her grey eyes.

"Which is why you are here, yes?" Haruka put in, drawing the attention of the four girls to her.

"In a word, yes." Naru replied.

"In the middle of the morning rush? Disturbing my paying customers?" The older woman added, sweeping a free hand around to indicate the aforesaid customers, who actually looked more interested than disturbed. Realising that they were the centre of attention took quite a lot of wind out of the group's sails, Naru and Mitsune's faces colouring while Motoko simply huffed the huff of someone who knew barging in wasn't a good idea.

Su just grinned, apparently oblivious, from her perch on Motoko's back.

"Uh, yeah……but it's important." Naru insisted.

"So are my customers. As a matter of fact, your timing is impeccable – my part-time waitress has had to go home sick. So….." Balling up the tea-towel held in her left hand, Haruka flung it at Mitsune who caught it as an alternative to wearing it. "…..you are going to do the dishes, and you….." Naru took the proffered apron with a puzzled frown. "…..Are going to serve. Then, when things have settled down, I'll tell you what I know of the whereabouts of your beloved Kanrinin."

"Huh? How did you know?" Mitsune asked, unfolding the tea-towel in defeat.

"I'm far from stupid, Mitsune-san." Came the calm reply, as the slim woman before her reached into a pocket and withdrew a cigarette.

"Sounds like a fair trade though." Naru sighed, resignedly tying the straps of the apron into a neat bow behind her. "But what about Motoko and Su?"

"What about them?" Haruka said, eyebrow raised in amusement. Naru and Mitsune exchanged a glance, before turning to look behind themselves.

Just in time to see the café door swing shut.

"Traitors….." Naru breathed, realising she had officially been left in the lurch. Sharing a much longer and more exasperated glance with her silver-eyed friend, she eventually shrugged in defeat.

"Time to get moving. Naru-chan, could you take these drinks to table seven?" Haruka called, smiling around her now lit cigarette. Growling internally, the girl stalked over to the café owner, mentally vowing that whatever information Haruka had had better be pretty damn good.

* * *

As it turned out, it wasn't.

"What do you mean, you don't know?!" Naru seethed, fingers digging into the fabric of the apron she had been wearing for the best part of two hours.

"Exactly that. He told me he was going somewhere, but either he didn't know where or didn't see fit to tell me." Haruka calmly replied, arms folded as she relaxed back in her chair.

"So you had us work for two hours under false pretences?!"

"You were the ones who assumed I knew everything." Sensing Naru growing irate, Mitsune shook her head in warning before her friend lost it completely. Seeing that the girl had calmed just a touch, the silver fox sighed and turned to look at Haruka.

"Yeah, you're right, we did jump to conclusions. All the same, it was nothin' but a cheap trick, holdin' that promise in front of us like some kind of carrot. If ya'd needed help, ya could've just asked." She said firmly, a touch of annoyance flickering in her grey eyes.

Haruka returned the stare coolly, completely unruffled.

"When was the last time you volunteered to do something for nothing, Konno-san?" Knowing what the answer was (and that Mitsune wasn't going to volunteer it) the older woman continued after barely a pause. "I know it was a bit of a trick, but I needed a couple of extra pairs of hands and you were available. I'll make it up to you - perhaps I'll take it out of your rent this month."

"That'd suit me fine." Mitsune replied, satisfied that money off rent was money on something else.

"Rent…..who's going to collect that this month?" Naru questioned, sat stiff-backed in her chair.

"I don't know." Haruka admitted openly, shrugging. "Suppose it might fall to me, but if it's a one-off I suppose I can manage."

"You shouldn't have to." Leaning forwards in her chair Naru almost audibly growled, clenching her right fist tightly. "Stupid baka, waltzing off without a care in the world, not giving a damn about what he's leaving behind."

Haruka and Mitsune both automatically substituted 'what' with 'who'.

"I really don't mind collecting rent once in a while, Naru-san." Reaching for a cigarette before remembering she'd left the packet behind the counter in the tea house, Haruka instead settled for tapping her restless fingers on her knee. "It's nothing that needs to be blown out of proportion."

"It's the irresponsibility that gets me." Naru shot back, honey eyes narrowed. "He's just dropped everything and left – with Shinobu no less! If he so much as….."

"Naru-san, if you're even thinking of insinuating that Keitaro would molest a fourteen-year-old, you'd better start running _right now_." Haruka ground out, threat heavy in her voice.

Wisely, Naru decided not to.

"But it's just so…..childish!" The young student proclaimed, her face flushed. "Running off at the drop of a hat, leaving everyone hanging so no-one knows where they stand…..."

Haruka and Mitsune shared a glance as Naru trailed off, gazing into the middle-distance as if having an epiphany. Judging by the expression on her face (that of someone crossing a road and spotting the oncoming bus far, far too late) it was not a pleasant one.

"Naru-chan, you okay?" Mitsune nudged the girl, concerned by the sudden glint in her eyes.

"Kitsune-chan, you remember trying to explain karma to me?" Naru suddenly asked, apparently more interested in the lampshade above her than anything else.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I think I get it now. And I agree with you on another point – Karma really is a bitch." The girl murmured, closing her eyes tightly as a grin that was almost a grimace perched on her mouth. "And to think, if I'd been down here yesterday around about now, we might not be having this conversation……" Naru barked out what was probably intended to be a laugh, but was clearly a sob. Mitsune was already out of her chair and at her friend's side before the inevitable happened, something Naru took full advantage of by burying her face into the available shoulder as her slim shoulders shook beneath the leaden weight of regret.

Haruka looked on in puzzlement, eyebrows raised in surprise. Catching Mitsune's eye, the older woman only received a confused look in response to her silent inquisition. Clearly, the fox was just as in the dark as she was.

"I-I'm sorry." A wet, muffled voice eventually said, its owner detaching herself from her friend's damp shirt with a decidedly un-petite sniffle. Tugging a tissue from some unnamed recess that all women seem to possess, Naru wiped at the wetness still pooling in her eyes, thankful that there wasn't any mascara or eye shadow to smudge.

Things were bad enough without looking like Weepy the Clown.

"Naru-chan, what was all that about?" Mitsune asked, eyeing her friend with genuine concern.

"…..Keitaro told me he loved me."

The silence was absolute – not a word, not a breath. Even the clock on the wall seemed to cease it's ticking, even if only for a second. Naru glanced up at Haruka with hooded eyes, seeing the Urashima completely stunned, face completely blank. If it weren't for the dismal situation, Naru would have remarked on being the first person in history to surprise the stoic woman.

"No way." Mitsune breathed, thin silver eyebrows disappearing into the cover of her fringe. "When?"

"Back before he got out of hospital." Switching her attention to her friend, Naru gave a tiny smile which was bitter as the sourest of lemons. "After you all had gone, and I was left with him."

"Yeah, I remember - so, what ya say?" The silver-haired girl stared at the silent figure before her for several seconds before understanding dawned. "You didn't…..say anything at all?"

A defeated shrug was the only answer as Naru's head drooped, face becoming concealed by her honey locks. Mitsune blinked slowly, trying to digest the facts but only getting heartburn as a result.

"Ya mean, the last four weeks, Keitaro's been sat waiting for some kind of answer?" Naru's fingers clenched into fists upon her lap as tiny droplets of salty water beginning to shower down upon them, her shoulders trembling beneath Mitsune's fingers.

"Takes a coward to know one……"

"Naru-chan….." Slipping an arm around her friend Mitsune looked up at Haruka, to see an odd expression on the older woman's face. There was pity there, yes, but also more than a hint of something that could almost be called satisfaction.

"Odd sort of coward that lays his heart on the line." The tall figure murmured, before taking a step towards the kneeling pair, tone growing sympathetic. "Look, I'm not going to tell you it's all fine. He offered all he had, but you neither took it or gave it back – hell, I think I'd have left in his shoes. But at least you can hope. He's returned to you every time so far, so there's always the chance he will again." Haruka finished, wishing dearly that she had a cigarette. After a pause, Naru nodded minutely hair rippling in time with the gesture.

"I hope so, I really do." The girl choked, face still downcast.

"Hold onto that thought. Now, I've got some work to do, so can I leave her with you Mitsune-san?"

"Sure think Haruka-san." Mitsune answered, nodding firmly.

"Take your time, you can help yourself to drinks if you need them. I'll be back later." Haruka called, strolling back into the coffee shop and closing the door to her own part of the house behind her. Strolling over to the counter she opened the till, and arranged the takings into neat piles before pausing.

"Silly girl. At least I know she loves him, though." She muttered to herself, counting up the bundles of notes with practised efficiency. "Question is, will he still love her by the time he gets back?"

* * *

That's all for now.

If you've got the time, feedback is always appreciated!

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi, Nodoka Calling.

Time for chapter 5 – and anyone expecting Keitaro and Shinobu to just jump into bed with each other now they've left will be sorely disappointed. I'm afraid I like to keep pacing realistic – some may call it 'slow', and perhaps they're right – but all the same I tend to think love and romance shouldn't be thrown around like confetti. I don't know for certain which way this will pan out – as the summary suggests I'm very much siding for Shinobu eventually but the story in the end will choose.

Anyhow, enough rambling. Once again thanks to all reviewers, all comments are appreciated (even if some do lead to sleepless nights of musing) and big thanks to my betas, Rachel and Bob. And to one specific person with a request, I'll be in touch soon.

On with the fic.

* * *

* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 5

* * *

* * *

As was typical for something avowed to be 'secret', the reasons behind the cold war which had divided the Hinata-sou and led to Keitaro's departure were known to all by dinner that evening.

Thus the atmosphere during the meal (take-out, none of the residents yet willing to put their hands up as surrogate cook just yet) was odd, not tense per se, but the air was heavy with words that wanted to be said and questions to be asked. Surprisingly, dinner had passed and the various plates used were drying in the rack before anyone decided to broach the inevitable subject.

Naru, in retrospect, realised she should have expected the source.

"I must admit, I do appreciate the peace which has descended upon us since Urashima left." Motoko stated blandly as the four sat on their respective parts of the lounge suite, sharing each others company whilst a news bulletin blared from the television in the background. "However, I must say that life is not quite as interesting, nor the food as delectable since he and Shinobu departed. Additionally, I do not approve of running away from a situation; in fact I normally find such cowardice abhorrent."

Motoko would soon regret making that statement.

"However, in this case I do find the reaction understandable." The swordsmistress continued, before turning her olive gaze on Naru. "Naru-san, I fail to see why the situation came about. Surely it is not difficult to reject someone's advances, particularly in the case of one weak as Urashima?"

"Motoko-san, back off." Mitsune bit in, resisting the urge to growl as Motoko's lack of tact reared its head. It was hardly the other girl's fault that she had next to no experience in dealing with affairs involving love and the opposite sex, but Naru really didn't need her blunt approach at this moment in time.

The way her friend's nails began digging crescents into her palms was a clue.

"I simply fail to see the issue. When a male who is unworthy attempts to garner the affection of a female, surely it is the work of a moment to simply dismiss him." Motoko said honestly, a touch of puzzlement upon her brow.

"Motoko-san, until you climb down off your feminist high-horse and realise that there's two genders in the world for a reason, there's no point in trying to explain." Came Mitsune's reply, accompanied by a roll of her grey eyes, hoping the heir to the Shinmei-ryu would take the hint.

Nope.

"I do not see it as a gender issue." Motoko stated coolly, arching a brow. "It is clear as still water that Naru-san is far too good for someone such as Keitaro."

"Motoko-san……" Ignoring the warning tone in Mitsune's voice, the swordsmistress returned her focus to Naru.

"So, may I ask again, why the silence?"

"It's 'cause she loves him, Motoko." Caught by surprise, three pairs of eyes focussed on the diminutive figure of Kaolla Su who was sat cross-legged on one arm of the sofa.

"Su-chan?"

"Class an' rank don't come into it." The Molmolian continued, sea-green irises fixed unblinking upon the television as if in a trance. "Ya can't know unless you've been there, an' it's the hardest thing in life to admit to……" For several long seconds the girl stared at nothing, as if unaware she was the centre of attention.

Then she blinked once, twice.

And smiled.

"Anyways, time for a banana!" Springing upwards in a manner that left gravity quite cross at having its laws broken, the girl almost bounced into the kitchen in anticipation of her favourite fruit.

The others stared at the space she'd vacated, astonished.

"…..Well, I couldn't have put it any better." Mitsune eventually concluded, turning back to Motoko. "Does that answer your question?"

"Is it true, Naru-san?" Apparently disbelieving, the swordsmistress turned her olive gaze back to her reluctant friend. "You would go so far as to pledge……love to that man?"

It was slow and hesitant, but the nod Naru gave was proof enough.

"I see." Motoko mused, placing a thoughtful hand to her chin. "May I ask why?"

"Motoko-san, would ya leave it alone?" Arms folded, Mitsune leaned forwards from her place on the sofa. "The girl's had enough today as it is, she doesn't need the Spanish inquisition."

Instinctively the women paused, as if waiting for something. When nothing happened, Mitsune continued her tirade.

"Just 'cause you can't see it, doesn't mean it ain't there. Hell, I'll admit to bein' more than a bit fond of our Kanrinin myself, but since I'm well down the queue I'm not plannin' to go jumpin' the man's bones." The fox huffed, with the tiniest hint of a flush creeping onto her face as she realised she'd let a bit more slip than she had planned. Hoping the others would chalk it up to annoyance, she settled back in her seat and waited for the inevitable reaction.

When it came, it was far from what she or Naru expected.

"I am aware of my shortcomings, Mitsune-san. I do not need you to point them out in such an arch manner; it is neither helpful nor pleasant to have them thrown back in your face." Motoko said quietly, sadness etched deeply into her face and tone. Turning her gaze towards her lap, the girl swept a few raven hairs which had come astray over her shoulder, eyes growing reflective. "I did not intend to cause offence; I am merely seeking the ability to understand. Understand how such things happen, what people see in one another to allow normal personal boundaries to be crossed. What my sister could have seen in her husband to choose him above her art, her school. Her family."

The emotion which laced Motoko's words was beyond anything that her housemates had heard from the normally reserved swordswoman, dwarfing even her……aversion to tama-chan. Naru, who would have every right to feel annoyed towards her friend given the unwanted interrogation she was enduring, still managed to feel a pang of sympathy as the slim girl stared down at her intertwined hands, apparently lost. The pair had hardly heard Motoko speak about the circumstances that had led to her living in the Hinata-sou, which the found odd given the apparent pride she had in her heritage.

"What does your sister's marriage have to do with anything?" Mitsune queried, curious.

"More than you would realise, Mitsune-san." Suddenly Motoko seemed to realise that she was treading paths she didn't intend to walk down and visibly straightened, the usual calm veneer appearing again in her voice, although a hint of vulnerability remained beneath despite her best efforts. "But I do not wish to go into detail at this time, and I doubt you will find me willing at any other juncture in the near future. I merely wish to eradicate my ignorance on the subject, and perhaps grow to understand how such happenings take place."

"If it was that easy I think I wouldn't be in my current mess, Motoko-san." Naru stated dryly, beginning to warm to the topic. If nothing else, ranting about how horribly complicated love was would ease her angst a little.

"Naru-chan, you don't have ta."

"I know Kitsune-chan. All the same, it's about time I came clean – I think I've liked Keitaro ever since the first time we ended up alone together in Kyoto. I can't say exactly why…… but when I think about sharing the future together, and everything that goes with it, it just seems _right._ Like there's a little space beside me that only he can fit into." Taking a long, slow breath Naru tried to fight of a flush with little success. Despite the embarrassment, she couldn't help but notice she felt lighter.

"So it's fulfilment, a sense of completion?" Motoko queried, obviously perplexed. "I feel such emotions when I am one with my blade, does that mean I should enter into a relationship with it?"

Mitsune choked on her drink.

"I think that even you know the answer to that, Motoko-san." Naru's words were met with the tiniest hint of a grin, much to Mitsune's relief (having secretly wondered if the swordswoman was really that naïve).

"You can rest assured, the relationship myself and my blade have is strictly platonic."

"Never doubted it."

"Seriously though, Motoko-san. Romance ain't somethin' that ya can teach. Ya ever wonder why people are still writin' songs about it after all this time? It's 'cause there's no way ya can really explain it." The Hinata-sou's fox said with the air of a scholar, having recovered from her coughing fit.

"I see." Motoko stated, with the air of someone who clearly didn't.

"Ah, hell to it. How do ya explain sight to a blind man?" Seeing the swordsmistress glare in protest, Mitsune waved a dismissive hand. "Seriously girl, you can't know it 'til you've felt it. Ya could read every romance novel on the face of the planet and not understand – then all it takes is one look, and ya know instantly."

Motoko blushed lightly, not wanting to admit that she was making quite a good attempt at reading every romance novel in existence.

All in the name of research, of course.

Sadly, her 'research' had left her with a wealth of knowledge, but barely a grain of understanding.

"It seems that you know of what Naru-san speaks." She observed carefully, hoping that it would divert Mitsune from pursuing the reason behind her rosy cheeks.

"Been there, done that." The fox swung her legs over one arm of the sofa and lay back, sprawling full-length across the plush cushions. "Not interested right now, got much better things to do. 'Sides, there's only one man around here, and he's off the market……"

In the chilly silence that followed, Mitsune realised that she might have phrased her last statement better. Turning her head, the girl glanced at Naru out of the corner of her slitted eyes.

The girl looked like a five-year-old whose goldfish had died.

"Ah sugar, I'm sorry Naru-chan. But let's look on the bright side – he'll be back, and I'm willin' to bet that soon as he sees your cards on the table he'll fall at your feet." The fox soothed.

"Yeah. Maybe." Naru answered, non-committal. In truth, the young student was even more worried than she let on – if Keitaro had left on his own, then it would be a different story.

Her problem was his travelling companion.

Shinobu was more mature than any of the Hinata-sou's residents gave her credit for, and she loved Keitaro unreservedly. While Naru privately doubted her erstwhile love interest would see Shinobu in a romantic light (in her heart of hearts, despite what she might vocalise, Naru found the thought of Keitaro pursuing Shinobu inconceivable) the little violet-ette would do undoubtedly do her utmost to make the man happy.

The down side of this situation was that Keitaro might just begin to realise just how badly he'd been treated for the last eighteen months. Which would inevitably cause a change in the ex-ronins' perspective.

Naru couldn't believe she would go up in his estimation. Hence, the less time the pair spent alone the better.

"Why don't we track them down?" The girl found herself saying, drawing curious looks from the other occupants of the room.

"Huh?" Mitsune responded intelligently.

"I don't want to think of Shinobu being alone with that baka. We've got to look out for our sister, right?" Naru decided not to explain exactly _why_ she didn't want Shinobu and Keitaro alone, hoping people would jump to the usual conclusions.

She needn't have worried. This was the Hinata-sou after all.

"I feel you are correct. While I would like to respect Shinobu's wishes, we must act with thoughts of her safety first." Motoko concurred, nodding in agreement.

"Sounds like fun, and I'm always up for a bit of that." Mitsune added. "But how do you plan on tracking them? We've already tried the station, and Haruka's got no more of a clue than any of us."

"There's one more option to try. And it's probably the one with the best success rate."

"Oh?" At her friends enquiring look, Naru grinned and took a deep breath.

"Su-chan!"

* * *

* * *

Things had passed surprisingly smoothly – almost suspiciously so. To the point where, as she was sat in a rather comfortable hotel room overlooking the station, Shinobu was almost counting the seconds until something went wrong.

When she reached seven hundred, the girl managed to start thinking about relaxing.

It wasn't until she reached one thousand that she managed to tear her gaze away from the window, finally content that she wouldn't be seeing any familiar faces strolling onto the plaza below. At that point, fact that no-one knew where she was and she was completely and utterly alone with Keitaro slowly filtered into her head. Equally slowly an almost painfully wide grin eased onto her mouth, until a tiny giggle managed to escape. Grabbing a pillow from the top of her single bed Shinobu flopped backwards onto the comfortable mattress, using the pillow to muffle the musical laughter spilling from her mouth, laughter she couldn't stop even if she'd tried.

It was laughter partly borne out of the insanity of the situation, laughter with a nervous edge to the tone – but above all it was joyous, the girl bathing in the warmth of freedom and the chance to do what she wanted for once.

That wasn't to say everything was completely perfect. The hotel itself was ideally placed, being right opposite the station, but that did mean opening the window invited the hustle and bustle of activity in. The room, although tidy, was decorated an almost lurid shade of red which was more at home upon lips than walls. For some reason most of the television channels were locked and required a credit card to access – something Shinobu resolved to ask Keitaro about later. And worst of all was the wall.

The wall separating her room from Keitaro's.

Shinobu wasn't completely naïve. She had dropped hints that a twin room would be cosier than two singles, but not gone so far as to demand one. And she acknowledged that her companion was too much of a gentleman (and too afraid of pervert bashings) to just jump straight into sharing a room with her.

She resolved to have the wall gone by within a week.

For one, she wanted to be there while he muddled his way through whatever mess Naru had left him in, that was the reason she'd insisted he not travel alone in the first place. Additionally, it would give her the chance to get closer to him……

Staring fixedly at the wall, Shinobu bit her lip. The door swung both ways – getting close to Keitaro would mean the reverse happening. Which meant her 'Sempai' would find out a few things about her as well.

For a few brief moments the girl almost descended into a panic, before swallowing audibly and shaking her violet-tressed head. She'd spent her teenage life to this point watching from the peripheries, afraid of taking a leading role. Now she was where she wanted to be, away from outside influences, with someone she trusted and loved without question. If she couldn't put herself on the line now, then when could she?

Then again……

Carelessly discarding the pillow, the diminutive girl slid off the bed and paced over to the wardrobe. It was an interesting design feature of the room that the wardrobe door doubled as a mirror – possessing a mirror-glass front in which the outfit chosen from within could be admired.

Shinobu decided it was the feature of the room she liked the least.

Standing before her reflection, the girl could almost feel the corners of her mouth sink as she took in the petite figure before her. She'd always believed that women were meant to be composed entirely of curves, shapes that were crafted by an artist's brush rather than a sculptor's chisel.

Some woman she was turning out to be.

Without realising it Shinobu reached out a finger and began to trace an outline in the uncaring glass, one that in the depths of her heart she wished she had. One that swept out beyond her thin hips, curved in until it almost met the edge of her waist and then parted ways with her rib cage. As if drawing on instinct the finger curved out the shape of a head which stood four inches taller than her own, and then descended downwards again, completing the hourglass figure that she dreamt of. Then she stood and stared, stared at the outline of a woman and the little figure stood within it, not one part of her body reaching the paradigm of femininity her imagination had set before her.

Hurriedly the girl turned her head away, refusing to succumb to pitfalls she had fallen for many times in the past. All the same, the prickling at the corners of her eyes told her that they were still there, just waiting for the next unwary step.

A gentle knock to the door proved just the distraction Shinobu needed.

"Be right there!" Blinking frantically the girl took several long, slow breaths before pacing towards the door. Upon opening it, she felt a genuine smile break across her face as she took in Keitaro, stood before her in semi-smart trousers and an only partly-creased blue shirt.

"You ready, Shinobu-chan?"

"One second Keitaro-kun." Turning back into the room the girl plucked her shoes from the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, hurriedly attaching them to her sock-clad feet. "Where are we going for dinner?"

"Just thought we'd have a look around. The receptionist recommended a restaurant only a few streets from here, so we may as well check that out." Keitaro replied, edging to the end of the passageway and standing at the very edge of the room, as far as his instincts would allow him to tread.

"Great. What sort of food?"

"Traditional, apparently."

"Fine by me." Shinobu almost fumbled her second shoe, excitement getting the better of her. While going out for dinner together wasn't officially a 'date', the girl reasoned it couldn't be that far away from being classed as one. In fact, it wasn't until Keitaro suggested it that Shinobu realised every night would be same – the ex-ronin had been completely unable to understand why his little companion had been walking on air ever since.

"Right. Job done." Grabbing her handbag Shinobu threw her coat on and strode over to her friend. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah." Gesturing towards the door, Keitaro was glad that very occasionally he remembered to act like a gentleman. "Ladies first."

"Thanks!" He was rewarded with another grin that made his skin glow beneath its warmth as the girl almost skipped past him. Turning to follow, Keitaro paused as something caught his eye. Leaning back to the room, the man gazed at the wardrobe door…..

"Are you coming?" And jumped as Shinobu called from where she was stood, holding the door ajar.

"Yeah." Turning away Keitaro carefully filed the memory away for later, finding that he didn't even need to pretend to smile as he made his way to the door. Like the moon, he couldn't help but reflect the sun that was the girl's gleeful expression.

"So, where to now?" Shinobu asked, letting the door shut as Keitaro stepped through it.

"The lift."

"Oh. Yes."

* * *

* * *

Dinner had been enjoyable, to say the least. The presence of a live musical group was a pleasant surprise, as was the food. The drinks, however…..

"I think I can still taste that sake." Keitaro almost spat, holding the door to the lobby open for Shinobu to step through.

"I'm sorry; it was my idea……" The girl replied, sympathetic.

"Don't worry, I was intrigued too. I mean, a drink called 'The spirit of Hokkaido'? Anyone would be. I should have known better when they advised me it was best taken as a single measure in a full glass of orange juice – maybe wondered _why_ they dilute it that much." The bespectacled man mused, drawing a careless hand across his mouth as if in memory. "But silly me, I go and say 'I'll have it straight'."

"You looked like someone had stamped on your foot wearing hobnail boots." Shinobu giggled, unable to hide her amusement any longer.

"You have no idea." Shaking his head Keitaro shuddered as the ghost of the taste breezed across his tongue. "Seriously, if that's the spirit of Hokkaido, it needs exorcising."

"Well the waiter tried to warn you. He did say the only cocktail he would use it in was a 'Molotov'."

"And you asked if that one included grenadine……."

"Well how am I supposed to know? I'm a couple of years away from drinking aren't I?" Shinobu defended as she prodded the 'up' button, which prompted a pair of silver doors to slide open with a 'ping' just to her left.

"A couple more than a couple, Shinobu-chan." Keitaro reminded her, stepping into the lift behind her.

"Which is even more reason for me not to know what a Molotov actually is." Crossing her arms in mock-indignation, the girl was unable to keep the chuckle from escaping. Especially at the memory of the Maitre'D raising an eyebrow when they'd requested a 'Table for two' before leading them to a particularly secluded corner of the establishment.

Cue much spluttering on Keitaro's part, and a cheerful flush on Shinobu's face.

"Well, it was a good night." Keitaro eventually concluded as the lift's doors slid open, another 'ping' announcing its arrival at the third floor.

"It was." His companion agreed warmly, fishing through her handbag for her key.

"And thanks." Reaching their respective rooms, the ex-ronin favoured Shinobu with an honest smile. "Without you I probably would've spent the night stuck in my room, miserable. I'm glad I took your advice Shinobu-chan."

"Kei-kun….." Watching the man's eyes glaze over as he reached into his pocket for his key, Shinobu suddenly decided she really didn't want him going into his room alone. So, she blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"What?" As if waking up Keitaro peered over at her, blinking slowly.

"I asked you if you wanted to come in for some…..coffee." Shinobu repeated, inwardly wincing at her choice of beverage - 'Coming in for coffee' being the universal code for something quite different to being given a hot drink – but this being Keitaro, he probably didn't have a clue of this fact.

"Sure. Why not?" The man eventually acceded, moving over as his younger friend let out a slow breath.

"Good." Entering the room Shinobu slotted her key into the socket on the wall, activating the electricity to the room. On came the lights, and she hurriedly set about filling the kettle from the bathroom sink to give her heart time to settle into a more normal rhythm. It wasn't until the kettle was happily boiling away and her shoes were in the corner of the room that the girl was able to look at the only man who wasn't her father to step into what was (at least temporarily) her room.

To see him peering at the wardrobe, either engrossed in his own reflection or the spectral outline still smeared upon the sheer surface. Deciding the easiest path was to ignore it, the girl busied herself with the cups.

"Tea or coffee Kei-kun?" She didn't know when she'd slipped into nickname mode, but it was much easier than 'Keitaro-kun'.

"Coffee please."

"Coming right up." Within seconds two coffees were prepared, and the violet-ette handed one to her friend who took it with a grateful nod. It was at that moment Shinobu realised that Keitaro was sat on the edge of her bed – the only other furniture in the room which could be sat on was the toilet.

That would just be weird.

"Shift up a bit." The girl instructed, before carefully placing herself twelve inches away. For almost a minute the pair sat in silence, each blowing on their respective drinks and gazing at the brown liquid as if it were the most interesting thing in their lives.

"I'm sorry if I'm not the best company." A slightly husky male voice said, its owner still staring down at his mug, spare hand reaching for a familiar spot on the back of his neck and giving it a brief scratch.

"It's okay." Shinobu replied, glancing over at him. "It's not like you came out here just for a bit of fun. Besides, who am I to complain about company? I invited myself along, right?"

"Yeah, you did. And man, am I thankful." Keitaro looked back at the girl, smile slightly watery. "As I said, I probably would be a hermit-in-training if I didn't have you here to keep me in line."

"Kei-kun…..what happened? I mean, you've been hiding for weeks, I've been getting more and more worried." Reaching over a hand warmed by the hot drink she was cupping, Shinobu took a deep breath and placed it on Keitaro's knee, almost jumping when the hand scratching the back of the Ex-Ronins' head reached down and patted it appreciatively. "I didn't want to pry, but I can't stand to just watch any more. Was it Naru?"

"Yeah."

"So what did she do?" The girl asked, wide violet eyes almost pleading for an answer.

"It's not what she did; it's what she didn't do." Came the cryptic statement, accompanied by a slow shake of the head.

"Kei-kun?" Shinobu nudged, growing more worried by the second.

"Back in hospital I…..told Naru the truth. That I loved her." Keitaro said, as if discussing the weather.

Shinobu almost fainted.

"Y-you did?" She managed to stutter out, feeling the blood draining from her face and her heart plunging into the depths of her abdomen as the echoes of the statement rebounded around her mind. So absorbed was she in the meaning of the words and their repercussions that she almost missed the fact Keitaro was still talking.

"Yeah. But her response was to leave." A bitter chuckle escaped the man's lips, his eyelids firmly shut as if trying to close his mind's eye. "Not a word either way, not then, not since. I don't know what to do, Shinobu-chan. She's got me in limbo – I don't know where I stand, or if I do at all. But it seems she's quite happy to pretend the whole thing never happened……all I can think is that she just doesn't care. I could take it if she said no, because at least then she would have acknowledged me – but not so much as a word."

Shinobu felt her shock at the revelation evaporate; only to be replaced by a deep sadness as her friend sank his face into his hands, voice catching in his throat.

"I-I tried my best, Shinobu-chan. But it feels l-like she's just turned her back on me. And I still l-love her, but how can I really love someone who turns their back on you? Who a-abandons you w-when you put your s-s-soul in their hands……" Watching the man's shoulders silently tremble, Shinobu tore her shyness into tiny pieces, screwed it into a ball and set alight to it once and for all.

And encased the man in a full-body glomp.

"I-I'm sorry Shinobu-chan. I really a-am awful company….." Shushing gently, Shinobu fondly caressed the man's tense back; murmuring in what she hoped was a soothing manner.

"It's okay Kei-kun. You've got me. I won't abandon you, not now, not ever." She promised, meaning every word.

"T-thanks Shinobu-chan." Keitaro eventually murmured, pulling his glasses off his face and dashing a hand across his damp face.

"Any time." Easing back a little Shinobu was greeted with a pair of red-tinted eyes, eyes which although still wet spoke deeply of their appreciation. "Any time at all."

"I don't know if I feel stupid or relieved." Sighing gently Keitaro replaced his glasses, drawing a hand through his hair. "A bit of both I think."

"Don't feel stupid. You're allowed to cry like anyone else, and I promise I'll never say a word." The girl beside him chided gently, showing no intention of removing the arm wrapped snugly around her close friend's waist. "I'd rather be here with a soft shoulder than worry about you trying to muddle through alone."

"Thanks." Sniffling a little, the bespectacled man chuckled. "I seem to be saying that a lot….."

"I appreciate it though."

"And I mean it." Keitaro stated firmly, bringing his cup to his lips.

Only to find it virtually empty.

Comprehension dawning, the man glanced at both of Shinobu's hands.

Which were both holding him.

"Um, Shinobu-chan?" He began, craning his neck around to look at the bed upon which he sat.

"Yes?" Gaining no reply, Shinobu mimicked the action and suddenly realised why Keitaro was looking somewhat perturbed.

It appeared that when she had glomped her friend she had managed to knock his arms backwards, and hence sent the contents of his cup all over the bedspread. Additionally, so engrossed was she in performing the aforementioned glomp that she had managed to hurl her cup into the wall above the headboard. Thankfully it had bounced, but the brown stain on the wall and sodden pillow (upon which the cup sat proudly, and in one piece) bore testimony to its flight path and eventual resting place.

All in all, the bed looked like it had been used as the canvas for a round of mud-wrestling. Shinobu tentatively lifted the blanket, only to find the sheet beneath pock-marked by wet brown patches which would undoubtedly look very suspicious come the morning.

Almost as one the pair turned to look at the alarm clock sat upon the bedside table, to see it proudly indicating that what was 'today' had now officially become yesterday, even if only by five minutes.

Glancing back at one another, the two came to the obvious conclusions. The bed was in no way useable, not by someone who wanted to sleep somewhere dry and not awaken smelling of Nescafe. And neither one could bring themselves to call down for fresh sheets, not at this time of the night. Eventually, Shinobu summed it up.

"So, now what?"

* * *

* * *

The remaining residents of the Hinata-sou clustered around the television table, peering at the screen before them intently. Normally this would mean watching a news report, a soap opera or, in the case of Mitsune, various four-legged mammals running at various speeds, sometimes with very small men upon their backs.

However, today the television set was placed unwanted in a corner, demoted by the latest contraption to make its way out of Su's demented workshop.

When the little tan girl had earlier failed to respond to Naru's call, the other three residents had gone searching for her in the kitchen into which she had disappeared. To find that Shinobu had purchased an extra-large supply of bananas to keep Su going in her absence, something the Molmolian had discovered and apparently taken as a challenge. Hence puddles of yellow skins all over the kitchen floor, and Su sat on the floor determinedly chewing with a stomach belonging to someone six months pregnant.

After being helped onto slightly wobbly feet the green-faced princess was given a summary of the situation, and when the last mouthful of banana had been swallowed she agreed to see what she could cook up.

At which point she hiccupped, turned an interesting shade normally seen on unripe bananas, and shot off up the stairs with her hand over her mouth.

Everyone tried their best to not listen at the noises which followed.

Credit was due to the little Molmolian, after the bananas had taken their revenge she'd taken only a handful of hours to concoct a machine which she claimed was guaranteed to find Keitaro. Hence, as dusk fell, the residents of the Hinata-sou kneeling in a tight group around Kaolla Su as she fiddled with the device placed upon the low table before her.

"So what is it, Su-chan?" Naru asked, eyeing the apparently benign screen with caution.

"It's the techno-tracker one-point-four! It's guaranteed to find anyone in the whole of Japan!" The Molmolian replied, tapping away at a keyboard, fingers a blur.

"Anyone?"

"Yep! All I need is a name, and hey presto!" Striking the enter key with a flourish, Su grinned as the aged screen (which looked like it had been discarded as obsolete in the nineteen-eighties) blinked into life.

Surreptitiously the three girls behind he edged backwards slightly, each one remembering how potentially…..volatile the little genius' inventions could prove to be. Su didn't seem to notice, busy as she was entering an exhaustively long series of passwords and codes until finally a map of Japan appeared outlined in green upon the screen.

Gradually, the three girls edged closer again, satisfied their lives were not in any imminent danger.

"How does it work?" Mitsune questioned, looking at the map with obvious curiosity.

"Easy. I just type in a name, press enter and bingo! A green dot identifies our target's location instantly!" Su chirruped, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.

"Sweet! May I?" The fox asked, gesturing towards the keyboard.

"Sure." Opening a dialogue box, Su gestured Mitsune forwards. "Be my guest."

"Cool. Okay….." Typing in the traditional manner of the computer illiterate, Mitsune prodded each letter in turn with a stiff finger, tongue protruding between her lips as if directing her actions. "K-e-i-t-a-r…..where's R? Oh, here it is…..O, and enter!" Tapping the button, the fox's brow furrowed as almost the entire map lit up, bright green blazing from almost every corner of Japan. "Huh? Why didn't it work?"

"It did. You've just found every Keitaro in the country." Su stated cheerily, clearly enjoying herself.

"Right….." Eyeing the screen as one would an adversary, Mitsune cracked her knuckles. "Su-chan, could ya bring that box back up?" Once the girl complied, Mitsune set about typing in Keitaro's name, this time complete with surname. Striking Enter caused several dots to flare into life, nowhere near as many as before but still far too many to make narrowing down any search impossible.

"Ah, I give." Throwing her arms up in the air, Mitsune slumped back onto her haunches. "I ain't got the know-how for this."

"Don't worry Kitsune-chan. I've got it." Nudging her friend to one side, Naru took her place at the keyboard. "Su-chan, could you do the honours?"

"Okies!" Once Su had done her piece, the honey-haired girl quickly typed in the name 'Keitaro' before glancing over her shoulder. "Hey, is that a spider crawling up your arm Kitsune-chan?"

"WHAT?!" Springing to her feet with grey eyes wide the fox began a frantic scan of her body, searching for any sign of an embodiment of her eight-legged phobia upon her person. "Get it off, get it off!"

"Sorry, just a trick of the light." Naru put in calmly, striking the 'enter' button with a grin. "My mistake."

"Wha?" Glaring at her friend, Mitsune identified the type of grin upon the girl's face and scowled in annoyance. "That wasn't very nice, Naru-chan."

"Worked as a distraction though." Naru replied, honey eyes mirthful.

"Why, pray tell, would you require a distraction?" Motoko asked, one eyebrow elevated.

"Because I promised Keitaro I'd never tell anyone his middle name when I finally wheedled it out of him. It's pretty embarrassing." Naru explained, grinning in amusement at the memory.

"Embarrassing huh?" Edging closer to her friend, Mitsune favoured the younger girl with an almost angelic grin. "Ah, c'mon. Ya can tell your bestest friend in the whole world 'bout it, right?"

"Nope." Came the reply, Naru's grin now possessing more than a hint of triumph.

"Oh come on, tell me."

"Nope."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Pretty please?"

"Nope."

"Pretty pretty - "

"May I mention that we are getting off the subject?" Motoko coolly interjected, stopping the argument in its tracks.

"This ain't over, sister." Mitsune promised, before turning to look at the screen.

Which displayed one single dot, apparently not far from their current location.

"Got him!" Naru cheered, getting so close that her nose touched the screen. "I wish we could see things in a little more detail though….."

"No problem!" Pouncing on the keyboard, Su typed in several lines of code with almost impossible speed. Gradually the map zoomed in, second by second, until individual street names were visible.

Three sets of brows creased as their owners took in the green dot sat smack bang in the centre of the Hinata-sou.

"So…..he's here after all?" Mitsune stuttered out, puzzled.

"Hmmmmm. Su-chan, may I ask a question?" Motoko said, turning to her diminutive friend.

"Sure!"

"How does this tracking device work?"

"It's real simple! It's connected to the web, and through lots of clever technology it can enter the national census database! From there it can identify the identity of anyone on the electoral register, takes the address and cross-references it with the GPS database to pinpoint the location of the person to within a few hundred yards." Su explained, clearly proud of the fact that she had managed to hack into a government-secured database.

Motoko, on the other hand, did not look quite so impressed.

"So let me make sure I understand. This program uses the electoral register to supply an address for the person you are searching for?"

"So long as they're registered, yeah!" Came the cheery reply.

"Which means that, in order for us to locate Keitaro at his present residence, he would have to register it as his home address?" Motoko stated calmly, arms folded.

A few seconds of silence followed, as Naru and Mitsune both blinked in dawning comprehension before turning incredulous gazes on Su.

Who had the good grace to look abashed.

"Ummmm……oooops?"

"Nice try Su-chan. But maybe next time, something that works?" Naru groaned, disappointment clear on her face.

"I'll get right on it!" The Molmolian replied, snapping into her traditional salute before bounding off up the stairs. Watching her go, Naru sighed before turning to her other two friends.

"Well, it was a good idea. Anyone here got any others?"

"I have one." As Mitsune and Naru turned their attention to her, Motoko gestured to the phone sat silent upon its stand. "At some point, either Keitaro or Shinobu is bound to contact either ourselves or Haruka. When they do, we can use the call-back function in order to identify the telephone number. That will allow us to at least discover which region they are currently residing in, and if we are fortunate it could even pinpoint their exact location."

"Now that's a plan." Mitsune agreed, patting the kendoist on the shoulder. "Nice goin' Motoko-san."

"Of course it is contingent on them calling us in the first place, so until that takes place we can do nothing." Motoko added, apparently irked by the fact her plan had an obvious flaw.

"True." Naru said, chin propped on her hands as she considered the situation herself.

"Y'know, there is one other way." Mitsune put in slowly, as if tasting the words as she spoke.

"There is?" Seeing her good friend hesitating, Naru leaned forwards in anticipation. "Whatever it is, let's have it!"

"Well, it's hardly the most ethical solution, but it might work. You're gonna have ta do a little bit of actin', Naru-chan, for us to pull this off….."

* * *

* * *

Upstairs, Kaolla Su propped her feet on her desk, leaned back in a battered computer chair and gazed at a screen upon which was a map of Sapporo. From the middle of the map a pair of dots blinked, apparently in close proximity to one another. Smiling in satisfaction the tan princess swung into a sitting position, leaned over to the power switch and turned the screen off with a definitive 'click'.

* * *

* * *

Shinobu stared at the ceiling, having been awoken by the sound of gentle snoring. Shifting slightly, the girl turned her head to the left and couldn't help but grin as she took in the sight before her.

A pair of feet, toes pointing skywards.

Lifting her head off the pillow slightly, the girl felt the smile grow broader as she gazed at the sleeping face of Keitaro at the other end of the bed, glasses discarded, mouth slightly ajar as he snored softly. It was his suggestion, after Shinobu had rejected any idea that he not sleep in a bed. Of course, Keitaro wouldn't even think of her sleeping rough either. In truth, top-to-tail was not so bad, especially since Keitaro had made a point of thoroughly washing his feet before bed.

And as for the side-by-side option? Well, sometimes small steps were the best to take. Shinobu couldn't deny there would have been more than a hint of awkwardness – especially on a single bed as they were.

Placing her head back upon her pillow, Shinobu had to bite back a laugh as a few of the toes twitched, their owner obviously caught up in some dream or other. If someone had told her the circumstances in which she would first share a bed with a man a few weeks ago, she would probably have shaken her head in derision before chasing them from the kitchen.

As sleep claimed her, the girl decided that right at this moment she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

* * *

Well, I guess they did jump into bed with each other – but obviously, nothing more than that.

Just for information, I do intend to include Tsuruko in this fic. However, given the absence of Keitaro, it can be assumed things will not quite work out the same way.

Anyways, back to work on chapter 6, which is just over half-done. Another twelve hours of work should see it ready.

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	6. Chapter 6

Time for chapter 6.

Thanks once again to all those who left me reviews, and gave their feedback. Also thanks to my betas, Bob and Rachel, who have put up with me endlessly running ideas past them or reviewing my spelling and grammar.

Well, on with the story.

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* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 6

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* * *

Naru stared at the phone before her, honey eyes glaring at the apparently innocent device with unspoken hatred. The last person to see such a look had attempted to grope her whilst on a busy train, and it was only a split-second later that he was exiting the cabin through a window. What the phone had done to deserve the negative attention it did not know, but rest assured - if it was possible for an inanimate object to tremble, it would have.

Taking a deep breath, the girl reached out a hand that paused long before reaching its intended target.

"You know Mitsune-chan, I'm not so sure about this." Dropping her arm to her side, Naru shook her head slowly. "I'm all for finding them and bringing them home, but this is a bit on the…..heavy-handed side don't you think?"

"Well, we waited all night for the call, an' there's no sign of that happenin'." The fox answered, leaning with her back to the wall, six inches to the left of the phone which had thus far refused to ring. "Time's passin' by Naru-chan."

"I know, I know. But I'm not sure I can do this." Prodding her bottle-bottom glasses more firmly onto her nose the girl shot her friend a worried look, features pressed into a guilty frown.

Mitsune sighed impatiently.

"Look. I ain't got any better ideas, Su-chan says she ain't got a solution yet, an' the clock's tickin'." Leaning slightly towards her younger friend, the silver fox raised an eyebrow. "Unless, that is, you're cool with Keitaro an' Shinobu off on happy holidays together. Alone. Un-chaperoned. In secret. Away from prying eyes….."

"I get it!" Naru snapped irritably, yanking the receiver from its resting place such ferocity the whole phone nearly came with it. "What I don't get is why _I_ have to do this?! You're a much better con-artist, uh, I mean actress than me. You'd have no problem."

The narrowing of her friend's sliver gaze told Naru she hadn't missed the 'con artist' comment.

"Simple, you'll sound genuine. I wouldn't." Seeing the other girl's expression grow doubtful, Mitsune rolled her eyes in emphasis. "Look, you're worried, an' nervous, which is exactly how ya should be. 'Sides, I don't reckon I could tell anyone I was Keitaro's fiancée without laughin' my ass off." Naru almost visibly shuddered as one of the more uncomfortable elements of the plan came to the forefront of her mind.

"Do I really, really have to say that?"

"Yep. You've got the wrong surname to be married to him, an' even if you lied they have that sorta stuff on record anyway. But if you're just a 'friend' ya reckon someone at the bank's gonna listen to ya? Nope, only way to be involved enough to get access to Keitaro's account without marryin' the guy." Mitsune reasoned calmly, not mentioning that it was far from a guarantee. In truth, banks should only deal with the account holder or one authorised to act in the account holders' best interests.

Hence the real reason for using Naru – she was likely to sound completely genuine and emotive, something that might appeal to a bored bank clerk with a soft spot for a sob story. After all, when someone lost their bank card and was marooned away from home, who wouldn't listen to the obviously upset fiancée who was trying her best to make sure the card wasn't being used to steal every yen he had?

"I just want to go on record again to say 'I don't like this'." Naru sighed, holding the receiver to her left ear and dialling the number with her right hand. Without realising it the girl held her breath at the sound of ringing, almost jumping a foot in the air when a voice answered.

It wasn't until she'd said 'hello' three times without response that the girl realised the (slightly electronic) voice belonged to the automated message system which always greeted anyone trying to access the bank. Shooting a glare at Mitsune (who seemed to be enjoying the whole scene far too much) the girl tapped her foot impatiently as she half-listened to the options given, jabbing the number four on the phone when prompted.

Then silence.

Then, music.

Naru fought the urge to scream as Vivaldi' 'Spring' began to pipe from the earpiece, on a very abrupt thirty second loop, interspersed with messages that the call was 'Very important to the company' and that she would be 'Dealt with as soon as possible'. Holding the receiver away from her head, Naru muttered a few choice words under her breath.

"My, what would your mother say if she heard ya language?" Mitsune teased, grin firmly in place.

"Ah, shut it." Giving the phone another poisonous glare, the younger girl growled as the music continued to leak feebly out of the earpiece. "Why is it always the same thirty seconds of music? This is a multi-national company, but they can't get more than one song? I was stuck listening to this on loop for half-an-hour once, and by the end of it I promised that if I ever met the composer I would set fire to his beard. I mean it's not much to ask, even if they let the tune play for a little longer it wouldn't be so bad. Are they that damn tight that they won't pay for the whole track? It's beyond stupid, it's ridic – oh, hello?" Mitsune stifled a laugh as Naru stopped mid-rant, and instantly switched to 'worried significant other' mode as the music abruptly halted.

"Hello? Hi, this is Narusegawa Naru. I'm calling with reference to a Mr. Keitaro Urashima? What? Oh, he's my fiancé." This time the silver fox couldn't help feeling a little sympathy at the wince which crossed her friend's face. "What's the problem? Well, he's called me to say he's lost his credit card…..No, he's away on business, and he's got no battery left on his phone…..I know it'd be better if he could talk to you but I don't know if he can, and I've got no way of getting in touch with him to find out; I'd be worried sick that someone could be running up huge bills he can't afford to pay….." Naru pleaded, absently twirling a lock of honey hair around an idle finger as she played the part to the hilt.

Mitsune watched wide-eyed as her friend's voice cracked, the girl even managing a half-sob here and there for good measure. Naru didn't think she was an actress? Hell she almost believed what the girl was saying, and she knew it was all false.

"I-I'm sorry. I just wish I could speak to him, find out what is going on……Oh, thank you! His account number? One second." Reaching down Naru snatched a sheet of paper from the telephone table – a bank statement they had managed to dig out of Keitaro's room. Scanning the record Naru fired off a string of numbers, and paused. Then, as her friend looked on the girl's eyes swelled to the size of saucers and her mouth dropped open.

"Um, p-password? Oh, I think I've got it here, one second….." Slamming her hand over the mouthpiece Naru stared at Mitsune in panic. "Hell, he's got a password! Any ideas?"

"Uhhhh….." Caught flat-footed, the fox simply shrugged in defeat. Biting her lower lip anxiously, Naru frowned for a second before removing her hand and bringing the phone back to her mouth.

"Okay, first letter is N, third is R, seventh is G. What? Oh, thanks! Yeah, the last transaction would be a really useful place to start." Naru turned around and faced away from her friend, the fingers of her right hand now fiddling with the phone cable as she conversed in a low voice. Meanwhile Mitsune exhaled slowly in relief, thanking heaven for her friend's quick thinking.

"It was the station? Yes, he must have used one of the electronic ticket machines. Nothing since then?" The honey-haired girl continued, still engrossed in her conversation. Behind her Mitsune frowned slightly, noticing for the first time that perhaps her friend's acting skills weren't as sublime as she'd thought. It was at this point Naru should start sounding relieved – but if anything, she was only growing more and more emotional.

"Well, it means the card hasn't been used……cancel it?"

The silver fox's head shot up, eyes wide. Cancelling the card would mean that Keitaro and Shinobu would only be able to use the cash they had to hand, which couldn't be that much. Sure it might leave them marooned at some point, but it would certainly mean they had to get in touch, even if only to find out what was going on. Suddenly wishing her friend didn't have her back to her, Mitsune pushed away from the wall and tapped Naru on the shoulder.

"I know its company policy." Naru continued, shrugging the offending hand off.

"Say yes!" Mitsune whispered loudly as she dared, only for the other girl to take a firm step away from her in response, still refusing to turn around.

"Y-yes, I understand……No, you're right; it won't do any good leaving it active….." The fox stared at Naru's rigid back, confused as sobs returned to her friends' voice with a vengeance. "No, it's okay, I'm just a bit worried, that's all – him being away, out of contact without any money, that's all…..Thanks for your concern, I appreciate it, okay, bye." It was only as her friend almost threw the phone back into its cradle and thrust her head into her hands that Mitsune realised Naru had probably stopped acting the moment she said 'fiancée'.

"Naru-chan, what's - "

"Do not ever, EVER make me do something like that again!" Spinning around, Naru pinned the older woman with her furiously wet eyes. "Do you have any idea?! Pretending to be someone I've no right to be, and then betraying him like that? When he finds out, he won't even LOOK at me!" Clenching her hands into fists Naru turned and threw a solid punch into the wall before her, the pain of bruised knuckles barely registering through the haze of disgust and anger swirling around her. "Now I've marooned him heaven-knows-where, and strung Shinobu up too! What if they have no money at all? How will they eat, how will they sleep tonight?!"

"Shit, I didn't think of that." Mitsune winced, suddenly realising that any card reported lost was cancelled by default. "I'm sorry Naru-chan."

"Not nearly as sorry as I am." Slowly retracting her extended arm Naru swept a hand across her face, only temporarily halting the streams running down her cheeks. "I know Keitaro and Shinobu might forgive me eventually, they'd forgive anyone. But I don't know if they'll forget quite so easily….."

* * *

* * *

Awakening in the same bed as someone else was an interesting experience, Keitaro mused sleepily. It was even more interesting when that person was female – somehow different, more……welcoming, that being the best word the man could come up with in his current sleep-addled state.

It wasn't the first time he'd woken up with a girl beside him, Kanako had crept into his bedroom near enough every night when he was younger, something his parents had put a firm stop to at the point the moment the first signs of puberty appeared upon the horizon. But this, even though they were hardly face-to-face in the manner of lovers, was completely different. For one, the body touching his was obviously different to his in ways that Keitaro couldn't completely ignore – although it wasn't the most buxom example of womanhood, the comparative softness of Shinobu's leg where it rested up against his was palpably obvious. And the scent…..

Without realising it the man took a long, slow inhalation of something that smelt vaguely of blueberries, but was completely and inescapably feminine. It was pleasant, very pleasant, and somehow managed to be both alluring and comforting at the same time.

Somewhere deep in his subconscious, Keitaro registered it as being his new favourite smell.

Yawning widely, he rubbed at blurry eyes with the back of his hand. This didn't improve the fuzziness of his vision at all, but given the strength of his glasses prescription that was to be expected. However, his current position was far too comfortable and warm for him to bother search for his spectacles.

A low groan sounded from the other end of the bed, and the body beside his shifted, rolling onto its side and flopping a leg across his waist. At that moment Keitaro became aware of a certain physical affliction which affects most men early in the morning, and as he rapidly became fully awake, he was all the more aware that in her present position Shinobu would most certainly be aware of it too.

"Mmmmm. Good morning Kei-kun." Lifting his head Keitaro took in the slightly blurred sight of Shinobu, who peered back at him through sleepy eyes from the other end of the bed. Squinting slightly, Keitaro sighed and reached out a lazy hand to pluck his glasses from the bedside table. Placing them on the room came into sharp focus, and the slightly red face of his bed-mate told him that yes, she was quite aware of the situation.

"Morning Shinobu-chan." As if his glasses had allowed him to see reality as well as the world around him, the young man could almost feel the approaching panic charging towards him like a stampeding elephant. Mind filling with the numerous severe punishments which would inevitably be meted out for such a heinous crime (crimes not coming much more heinous than sleeping with Shinobu) Keitaro prepared to fling himself on the girl's mercy, to beg for forgiveness he wasn't sure he deserved.

Shinobu saw it all play out in her friend's window-like brown eyes. And decided she wasn't going to have any of it.

"Kei-kun, please don't say a word."

"But…"

"Not a word. I don't want to hear any sort of apology pass through those lips." The girl said firmly as she could manage, hoping that Keitaro would listen to her.

Judging by his silence, he did.

"You're not guilty by default Kei-kun. Not when you're with me." Brushing stray violet strands out of her face Shinobu locked eyes with the man opposite her, hoping with all her might that she would get through to him. "I suggested we share the bed, and we both got a good nights sleep. I'm happy, you're happy, and there's no-one around to say otherwise. We did nothing illegal, nothing wrong. Yes?" The girl nudged, seeing Keitaro wavering.

Eventually he sighed, and nodded.

"One word of this gets back to Motoko and I'm a dead man."

"I'm not planning on saying anything." Shinobu affirmed.

"That's a relief." Glancing at the clock, Keitaro noticed it was already half-past nine. "I suppose we should be getting up about now."

"Yeah." Rolling away from her bed-mate (who wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed she had) the petite girl swung her feet off the bed and placed them upon the warm carpeted floor, and stood into a stretch that drew her onto the tips of her toes. Feeling the stiffness leave her, she sighed as she rolled her neck from side to side and finally leaned forwards until the tips of her fingers almost brushed the floor. Energised, the girl turned back to Keitaro, keen to discover what the plan was for the day ahead.

Only to find him with a curiously red face, and pinching his nose as if his life depended on it.

"Are you okay Kei-kun?" Leaning forwards and placing her palms onto the bed, Shinobu grew all the more puzzled as Keitaro let out a muffled squeak, eyes growing almost impossibly wide.

"Yes, yes. Why don't you have first use of the bathroom, and I'll get changed out here?" The man suggested, voice nasal as he pinched with even more determination.

"You sure?" Receiving a mute nod in return, Shinobu gave the man a glowing smile. "Thanks! I won't be long." The pyjama-clad girl almost bounced into the bathroom, turning the light on before shutting the door with a quiet 'click'. For several seconds Keitaro stared after her, before turning his gaze down to the bedspread with something approaching a moan. Although his conscience was screaming 'she's fourteen' at the top of its voice, the man couldn't deny the figure of blossoming femininity who'd just given him an unintentional eyeful was far from unattractive.

Very, very far from unattractive indeed.

"If it wasn't for the fact she had no idea, I'd have sworn she was channelling Kitsune." He muttered, shifting uncomfortably. "I just hope that she doesn't start doing that sort of thing all the time, if she does it's going to be a long few weeks….."

* * *

* * *

"How the hell did I end up with this job?" Mitsune groaned, eyeing the plethora of worn clothes piled before her. Coloured clothes, white clothes, cotton, nylon, silk……raising a piece of paper with Shinobu's neat effeminate writing upon it to eye level, the fox who could read form guides and cheap magazines blindfolded attempted to make some sense of the instructions the house-keeper had left her. Never in her life had she even considered the potential risks of just piling all of her clothes into the same machine and pressing 'ON'; it didn't seem to have done much harm to her collection of lingerie in the past.

However, the system which Shinobu used was amazing; due both to its ability to keep clothes pristine and its complexity. Separating first by fabric, then by colour, and then a comprehensive breakdown of what could be washed with what safely; it was created by someone who either took her job very seriously or had far too much time on her hands.

Scrunching up the paper and discarding it carelessly over one shoulder, Mitsune rolled up her sleeves. "Right. Let's just chuck the whole lot in and squeeze the lid down……

"I think not." Glaring at the older woman, Motoko elegantly reached down and plucked the crumpled paper from the floor of the laundry. "It may mean little to you, but I will allow my silk garments to be ruined by the coarse fabrics you choose to wear." Unfolding the sheet and scanning it with her pale green eyes, Motoko mimicked the actions of her house mate – rolling the sleeves of her loose white gown up in a gesture of intent.

"Ah, hell. If ya want to be so picky that's fine, just leave me out." Turning on her heel Mitsune got half a pace towards the door before a vice-like hand seized her departing shoulder.

"This was tasked to both of us, Mitsune-san. If you think I am doing this on my own then you are sorely mistaken." The tone of the swordsmistress' voice allowed no argument.

"Okay, okay Motoko-san. No need to strangle my arm." Mitsune griped whilst massaging the place where her friend had restrained her, frowning with undisguised annoyance. "But I gotta say, I really hate washin'."

"It is far from my favourite chore." Motoko agreed, studying the instructions intently. "But as it is our job to do, then do it we must. If Shinobu-chan is capable of doing this on an almost daily basis, I'm sure two adults are more than capable of standing in her stead. If you would prefer to switch places with Naru, then you may be my guest."

"Nah, I'll pass on that." Shuddering internally, Mitsune imagined what would be happening if she'd drawn one of the short straws. The thought of trying to repair a leaking roof tile with Kaolla Su as the main assistant was not one to be cherished; in fact it made her almost thankful to be where she was. Silently the fox said a prayer for her best friend who was on the roof at that very moment, probably fearing for her life. "All the same, I can get the point about laundry needin' to be done. But why we gotta go doin' roofin' an' plumbin'? That's what roofers and plumbers are for, y'know?"

"I wish to show Urashima that we are more than capable of coping in his absence." Stooping towards the unfiltered pile of clothes, the swordsmistress rapidly began sorting with considerable speed. "If he returns to find us wringing our hands amidst a house in disrepair, he may gain the impression we have become dependant upon him. I will not accept being in such a position." Pausing in her task, Motoko glanced back at her house mate. "And because of the unfettered spending of people who will go nameless, we cannot afford to hire outside help."

"Ah, damn it." Cursing not quite under her breath, Mitsune began separating the piles created by Motoko. In truth it was relatively quick work when the pair found a rhythm, and it was the work of minutes to have the clothes in their respective groups.

"Right, now for the hard part." Eyeing the different piles Mitsune was about to ask for the instructions when a scream echoed through the building.

"Was that -"

"- Naru?" The pair exchanged a glance before Motoko shot from the room, Mitsune on her heels. Within seconds the pair skidded onto the front walkway of the Hinata-sou, the direction from which the Aoyama's sharp hearing had heard it come from.

To see an apparently quiet evening, punctuated by the occasional chirrup of a cricket from the undergrowth. Scanning the scene the two women looked at each other in puzzlement before, as if orchestrated by some silent command, looking up.

The annoyed face of Naru glared back at them from where she hung suspended in mid-air, barely four foot above their heads, still bouncing slightly as she dangled from the bungee cord tied around her waist. As she opened her mouth to ask 'what happened' Mitsune realised that doing so would mean she was asking the stupidest question in history. As it was, the sight of Naru hanging in mid-air like bait for some giant airborne fish was testing the fox's self-control.

Then Motoko broke it.

"What happened Naru-san?" The girl looked around in surprise as her apparently innocent question brought peals of laughter from Mitsune, and an annoyed huff from her dangling friend.

"I think that would be a bit sodding obvious." She growled, folding her arms in annoyance – something that her grey-haired friend found hilarious judging by the increased volume of her chortling. "Oh, shut up Kitsune-chan!"

"S-sorry Naru-chan, it's j-just….bahahahaaa!" Creasing in half, Mitsune clapped her hands in derision. "It's amazin', how sometimes life reminds ya things could be worse."

"Next time, you're doing the roof." Naru promised, doing little to dispel the other girl's giggling.

"I never realised how long your hair had got y'know." Ignoring the threat completely, the Hinatas' resident mischief maker reached up a hand to brush through the honey strands which were easily in reach. "If you give me two minutes I could go and get my scissors, and give you a trim. Gettin' it level from this angle would be a snip, no pun intended."

"I suppose the question which should be considered is how to get you down?" Motoko mused, finger on her chin. "I could use one of my techniques to sever the cord……"

"I'm not falling ten foot onto my head!" Naru put in, clearly not fond of the idea.

"Yes, that would be a problem. Hmmmmm….." Motoko paused as the cheery face of Kaolla Su appeared from the edge of the roof, waving for attention. When it was clear she had it, the little Molmolian held up an index finger in the universal gesture for 'just one moment' before vanishing again.

"Huh?" Confused why she was suddenly being ignored in favour of the night sky, Naru frowned. "Erm, have I just turned invisible or something?"

"One second Naru-chan." Mitsune replied, just as the faint sound of whirring came from the roof. Half a moment later the honey-haired girl began descending, albeit at a much less terror-inducing speed than that she'd experienced minutes before. Reaching out her arms the girl was first grasped by Motoko and then Mitsune, righting herself so that her feet struck stone with barely a noise.

Letting out a deep gasp, it was all Naru could do to stop herself from dropping to her knees and kissing the beloved ground that she promised to never leave again without a fight. "Ohh…..I think I left ten years of my life on that roof."

"I must admit that falling several stories with only one of Su's contraptions between myself and a premature meeting with Kami-Sama is a prospect which would daunt even the bravest." Motoko acknowledged, as the cord and harness began slowly ascending once again, accompanied by the same whirring as before.

"I'm glad I put it on. It would have been an ambulance job at least if I hadn't." Naru added, watching the harness vanishing into the darkening night air. Turning to her silver-haired friend, the girl gave her a tiny scowl. "And I could've done without the comments, thank you very much."

"Yeah, sorry Naru-chan. I'm real glad you're ok." Mitsune apologised, honesty clear in her voice.

"I know. But you're still going to fix that tile for me." Folding her arms, Naru shuddered. "I'll be damned before I get on that roof again. It makes you realise Keitaro wasn't quite as gutless as he looked sometimes……" Motoko and Mitsune shared a glance as their friend slid into silence, absently rubbing her arms with anxious hands as if warding off a chill only she could feel. Ever since the phone conversation earlier in the day something had come over her, something unfamiliar which filled her comrades with disquiet – Naru usually placing emphasis on being confident, appearing in control.

The girl before them looked like a mouse with her tail caught in a trap, a mouse who was watching the house cat slumber in its basket and holding her breath every time it stirred.

Not the Naru the Hinata-sou knew.

"Hey girl." Throwing an arm around her younger housemate, Mitsune turned her and guided her towards the open door. "Let's forget the roof tonight, its' set fair anyway. How about a drop of my finest?"

"I don't know…"

"Geronimo!" Su's cry rang through the still air as she descended with alarming speed from the night sky, drawing three sets of eyes upwards once again. As she reached her happily grounded friends her descent rapidly halted, to the point where she seemed to hang eye-to-eye with Motoko for at least five seconds before the cord's recoil took effect, Cheshire grin illustrating that her fall was no mistake.

"Su-chan?" Mitsune's voice was only met with giggles, the little Molmolian evidently enjoying her invention much more than Naru had.

"Yeah!" Slowly bobbing to something approaching stillness, Su smiled cheesily down at those below her. "That looked like so much fun; I just had to try it myself!" Ignoring Naru's indignant snort of 'fun?!' the tan girl waved happily at the assembled company. "Just to let ya know, the tile is fixed! So no more bungee goodness tonight for you Naru, not unless you want another turn!"

"I'll pass." Was the calm response, its speaker's expression suggesting she would rather be wielded to the side of a bus and driven through the Tokyo rush hour.

"Well much as you seem to be enjoying yourself Su-chan, I'm afraid there is no-one upon the roof to let you down. Do you wish for me to attend to that?" Motoko asked, tiny smile pinching her mouth.

"It's okay!" By performing something approaching an aerial sit-up, Su managed to seize the cord above her and began climbing it arm-over-arm with ease to make a baboon red-faced with envy.

Not that one could tell with a baboon anyway.

"If I was that graceful, I'd have twelve Olympic gold medals." Naru muttered quietly, watching the diminutive figure rapidly receding.

"If I was that flexible, I'd be a movie star….." Now the proud recipient of two glares, Mitsune waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, c'mon. Joke!"

"Really?"

"Well, probably." Shrugging easily, the fox guided Naru into the lobby, Motoko following silently behind. "So, how about that drink?"

"Oh, go on then. But only one."

* * *

* * *

If she wasn't as composed as an opera, Haruka would have had to laugh.

After all, when someone you know well dons sunglasses and a moustache, and then talks in what is presumably intended to be a French accent…..all the while believing that their deception goes unnoticed, well, it takes a certain type of person not to fall about in hysterics.

Honestly, how Mitsune believed she could possibly be fooled, the hostess had not the faintest clue. All the same, the Hinata-sou's resident layabout had been sitting innocently in her café for the last two hours, sipping frugally at a single drink the whole while.

The fox hated spending money on drinks that weren't flammable.

And why? Again, given her position – close to the phone as possible without actively trespassing – it was obvious. And every time Haruka actually picked up the phone, her ears visibly pricked in a manner normally seen on her vulpine namesake. In fact, Haruka had picked up the receiver and spoken to no-one on a couple of occasions, just because the horrifically un-subtle actions of the wannabe spy were so damn amusing.

Short of wearing a fedora and reading a newspaper complete with eye holes, Haruka didn't think Mitsune could possibly be more obvious in her role as a spy. Even the looks of puzzled amusement from her customers failed to tip the girl off, and when one of her regulars had addressed her by name she had quietly berated him for 'almost blowing her cover'.

It confused her no end how Keitaro had managed to fall for similar tactics in the past.

Now the afternoon rush was complete, and it was time to think about closing up. Which meant it was time to end the charade, even though she was curious just how long her tenant would keep it up. Approaching the table, the tall woman smirked internally as a pair of grey irises flashed in alarm before focussing upon the (now stone cold) coffee dregs still lingering in the bottom of the cup.

"Okay Mitsune-san, time you were off." Haruka stated calmly, picking up the cup and giving the table a thorough wipe-down with her ever-present tea towel.

"Uh, 'oo ees zis Mitsune of 'owm you speek?" Rolling her eyes at the garbled speech, the slim woman reached out a rattlesnake-fast hand and whipped the imitation moustache clean off Mitsune's face, her right hand not breaking rhythm as it swept back and forth across the table top. Pocketing it nonchalantly, as if removing false facial hair was a daily occurrence in her line of work, Haruka finished her job whilst Mitsune sat looking more sheepish than a whole flock of furry white mammals.

"So, as I was saying, time you were off." The Urashima repeated, pocketing the towel and giving her tenant a cool look.

"How did you know it was me?" If it was anyone else, Mitsune's question would have produced at least a full-on face fault. As it was, Haruka settled for inserting a cigarette between her lips and chomping down on it hard as an alternative to laughing out loud.

"Seriously?"

"…..Yeah, I guess you're right." The fox admitted defeat, slowly easing her chair back and standing.

"You can be sure, soon as I hear from Keitaro or Shinobu I'll let you know." Haruka added, fishing her lighter from a pocket on her apron.

"How did you…..yeah, again, you're right." Placing her palms on the back of the chair, Mitsune leaned towards the older woman slightly. "But what exactly will you let us know?"

"That depends." Clicking a flame into life Haruka brought it to the end of her cigarette, inhaling a welcome dose of nicotine as she did so.

"Depends on?"

"What he tells me."

"You mean you'll pass on everything?" Mitsune asked, cocking her head slightly in curiosity. Apparently unhurried, Haruka exhaled a lungful of smoke towards the light above her, seemingly deep in consideration.

"That depends."

"Dammit Haruka-san, stop playing games…"

"I am not playing games." Haruka snapped back, brow creasing in annoyance. "You've got no right to start making demands of anyone, Mitsune-san. The pair of them left to get away from this place for a while, and that includes everyone living in it. If they choose to tell me where they are, then it's me that'll know. Not you or anyone else." In response Mitsune's silver eyes narrowed, but she let the statement pass – it was the truth, after all.

"Yeah, well I can't say I was completely innocent meself. A bit of misplaced honesty probably didn't help any." The girl muttered, leaning more heavily against the back of the chair. "All the same, ya seen the state Naru's in right now? The girl needs to know what's goin' on, and needs to know badly. Could ya tell her?"

"That depends." Haruka deadpanned, placing her cigarette back into her mouth lazily as if bored by the whole charade.

Mitsune saw red.

"Ah, be reasonable! The girl's crumblin' to bits, an' you honestly couldn't care less?!" The fox stormed, fingers clutching the wood within their grasp like a vice. "I never knew ya were such a cold-blooded woman, Haruka-san."

"You reap what you sow." Her own voice dropping at least twenty degrees, Haruka met Mitsune's fiery anger with glacial calm. "She's gone through what, one day? As far as I can see it, she's got at least four weeks worth of penance to go. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, after all."

"Revenge? That's what you're after?" Growling quietly, Mitsune glared at the stoic figure before her. "Hell, that's beyond petty. I mean, is this even about Keitaro? Or is it some kinda grudge over someone else?"

"Don't even think of bringing Seta into this." Haruka ground out, the hint of a spark flaring to life in her own dark eyes. "This is about Naru pushing my nephew so hard that he had to make a choice – leave or snap. She brought it upon herself, and now I'm going to do what no-one else around here will. Put Keitaro first." Taking a long drag on her tobacco stick, the slim woman exhaled a plume of smoke towards Mitsune, giving her a pointed look as she did so. "Did it ever occur to you that I might have been asked by Keitaro himself to keep his location a secret? That he might not want to be found, and asked me to be complicit with his plans?"

"But Haruka-san, think about what it's doing to Naru…."

"Think about what it'd do to Keitaro! Chased across country by the very people you want to avoid, and then confronted before he's even had the chance to think?" Seeing Mitsune falter, the Urashima pushed home her point. "Say I let you know, and you go charging after him. What happens when you catch up? Naru's fuse is so short it's almost non-existent, and Keitaro will be anything but composed. Add Motoko, Shinobu and you to the mix, and I can guarantee you one thing. It. Will. Not. End. Well." Haruka spelt out, stabbing with her cigarette in emphasis.

Mitsune opened her mouth to argue, but the truth of the statement held her tongue motionless. In truth, she had wanted to track Keitaro down partly to appease Naru (and, in her heart of hearts, she didn't like the thought of Shinobu having Keitaro all to herself either), but it was also because what took place would almost certainly be entertaining. All of the other jaunts had been, and this one had the potential for some real fireworks when they actually found the errant ex-ronin and his young travelling companion. A nice diversion from the seemingly endless stream of days spent not doing very much.

But were the stakes so high now that, if it all went wrong, would the casualties be too great?

Resolving to think about it, the fox decided to cut her losses and head home while there was still racing left on the television. "Yeah, well, that's a maybe. I'm gonna head back upstairs, I'm overdue some TV. Catch ya…"

Then, the phone rang.

Haruka glanced at it, and then glanced at Mitsune who had halted half-way through the door. Not even bothering to pretend she wasn't going to listen, the girl turned and stepped back into the room.

"Aren't ya gonna answer that, Haruka-san?" She asked, sly smile perched on her mouth. The older woman frowned at her, before giving in and picking up the receiver a moment before it was due to ring off. Mentally crossing her fingers and hoping it wasn't who she thought it was, she brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

* * *

* * *

Shinobu tapped her shoe-clad foot idly as she stood in the shelter of a phone box, eyes tracing over a variety of adverts adorning the walls as she held the handset to her ear and waited for someone at the other end to answer. While she understood why there were cards advertising various taxi firms stuck here and there, she couldn't quite get her head around why someone would call himself 'Stretch', and exactly what Mr. Stretch would do down a phone line that was worth two-hundred yen a minute.

Plucking the aforementioned card from its place wedged behind the phone unit, the girl studied the lurid pink advertisement with mild interest, appreciating the way the shiny silver numbers upon it reflected the light which shone above her.

"Everything okay Shinobu-chan?" Keitaro's voice asked, from where he was stood just outside.

"Yeah, just taking Haruka-san a while to answer the phone." Wondering what was delaying the woman; Shinobu absent-mindedly flipped the card over and let her bored eyes take in the picture upon its back.

It took her a few seconds for her mind to register what she was actually seeing, but when it eventually did the girl knew with total certainty it would never, ever forget.

There are some things you can't un-see, after all.

The squeak which erupted from Shinobu was so shrill it was almost inaudible to human ears, and she dropped the offending card as if it were ablaze. Feeling her cheeks glow with palpable warmth, the girl hurriedly slapped a foot on top of the offending image as Keitaro yanked the door open, concern easily visible on his features.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

"_Hello?"_ Silently thanking Haruka for answering and saving her from explaining her…outburst, Shinobu made a gentle shushing gesture towards Keitaro as she settled the phone more comfortably against her ear.

"Hello Haruka-san, it's Shinobu."

"_Hi Shinobu-chan, I've been expecting you to call. Mitsune-san says hi as well, although she's standing so close that you can probably hear her."_ Hearing a muffled sound of annoyance from the other end accompanied by a dry chuckle from Keitaro's 'aunt', Shinobu got the message.

"Well, we say 'hello' too." Moving her mouth closer to the microphone, the girl's soprano voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Hello from Sapporo in fact, but you don't need to share that."

"_Really? All the way down there?"_ Shinobu fought not to laugh as she imagined Mitsune making a list of places 'down there' could refer to. It was unlikely that Sapporo, being several hundred miles north, would come into consideration. Deciding to play along she let out a very girlish giggle, certainly loud enough to attract the attention of an eavesdropper.

"Yeah, Okinawa is lovely at this time of year!" She chirruped with more volume than was strictly necessary, seeing a puzzled look from Keitaro as she did so. Giving the man a wink, the girl dropped her voice to a whisper once more. "We've found a place to stay; I'll give you the number when there's less company."

"_Sounds good."_ In the pause that followed, Shinobu could almost see Haruka take a slow draw on a cigarette and exhale the smoke before returning to the conversation. _"Are you keeping that cousin of mine in line?"_

"Of course Haruka-san. He's behaving perfectly." The girl responded, throwing her companion a cheeky grin as she did so.

"_Good. Any problems with him, just give me a shout."_

"I am here, you know." Keitaro grumbled, affronted.

"Just kidding, Kei-kun." Shinobu soothed, giving her companion a smile.

"_Kei-kun?"_ The amused voice of Haruka wiped the smile right off again. _"You two are obviously getting on well."_

"Auuuuu, Haruka-san!" Red-faced, Shinobu listened to the sound of laughter trickling through the speaker.

"_I know. But I think it's good -"_ Suddenly Haruka broke off as an odd rattling sound echoed down the line, accompanied by the occasional raised voice apparently in the background. After a puzzling ten seconds, the voice of the elder Urashima re-appeared, slightly winded. _"- said shut it! Hi Shinobu-chan, you still there?"_

"Hai, Haruka-san. Is everything alright?"

"_Yeah. Just teaching Mitsune-chan that crime doesn't pay, especially when the crime is stealing a phone from me." _What was just about discernible as the voice of Mitsune appeared in the background, sounding thoroughly unhappy. _"No, I'm not going to get off you. And when I'm done on the phone I'm going to smoke a nice, slow cigarette while I educate you on the subject of manners."_

"Um, is this a bad time?" Shinobu asked, puzzled.

"_Nope. I can stay on the phone for as long as you like, especially now I'm comfortably seated. In fact, I've got all night if you want it."_ The older woman replied, sounding thoroughly satisfied about something. Glancing at the screen before her, Shinobu realised that however long Haruka had all she had herself was fifty yen, and how long that would last was debatable.

"I'm about to run out of money, there's just one thing Keitaro wants to ask. Have the bank contacted you? His card isn't working, and although we're okay for cash we were wondering if you knew why?"

"_Afraid I haven't heard anything from the bank. I'll dig out the number and if you ring me tomorrow I'll pass it on to you, then he can call up and find out."_

"Thanks Haruka-san. We'll call tomorrow, have a good evening!"

"_You too Shinobu-chan."_ With that the line went dead, and Shinobu hung the phone up.

"Any news Shinobu-chan?" Keitaro asked, mahogany eyes enquiring.

"Afraid not Kei-kun. Haruka hasn't heard anything." Seeing the worry gnawing at her friend, the girl reached up a hand and placed it comfortingly on his shoulder. "It's fine, we've got plenty of money. There's probably been a bank error or something like that."

"Yeah, you're right. Would like to know though." Running a hand through his already scruffy hair, Keitaro smiled down at his friend. "So, dinner? I would offer to buy, but it looks like that's not an option."

"Sounds good to me." Falling into step with one another, the pair barely noticed that their arms touched frequently as they strolled through the bustling city streets. "But if we go out for dinner every night, I'm going to be pushing ten stone by the time we get back."

"Shall we worry about that tomorrow?"

"Maybe next week."

"Sounds good."

* * *

* * *

Mitsune wouldn't call herself brave by any means. In fact, her skill was avoiding situations where that particular quality would be required. But, as she lay on her front with Haruka smoking contentedly while sat on top of her, the vixen knew that if she didn't speak up now there would be hell to pay.

Quite possibly involving the police at some point.

"Haruka-san?"

"Hmmmm?" The older woman gave a vague noise of interest, tapping some ash onto the tray she'd thoughtfully placed atop Mitsune's head.

"I…." Taking a deep breath and praying to whoever would listen that someone would have mercy on her; Mitsune took her courage in both hands. "......I know what happened to Keitaro's bank account….."

* * *

* * *

That's all for now!

I've got quite an important date coming up next weekend, one which will be followed by a two-week honeymoon somewhere slightly nicer than Cardiff, where it feels like it hasn't stopped raining for a month.

Cardiff is the capital of Wales, for anyone who doesn't know. And no, I've never met Negi Springfield. Would be nice though….

Anyway, given that point, the next update might be a week or so later than the normal two week pattern. But I do tend to write a lot while I'm away, so it might speed up the releases afterwards.

Thanks for reading! 'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	7. Chapter 7

Hi, it's Nodoka again.

Many thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, and also those who wished me well with the change in my marital status! It's nice having a little extra weight on one finger.....

.....Anyways, enough about real life. That's not what anyone is here to read about, so on with the fic.

* * *

* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 7

* * *

* * *

It was a thoroughly bedraggled Mitsune who hauled herself through the front door of the Hinata-sou, almost collapsing into the nearest chair the moment she reached it. Seemingly uncaring that she was beneath the concerned gaze of Naru the woman leaned her head back and closed her silver-grey eyes, looking as if she'd had ten bottles of sake and a protracted argument with the pavement on her way home.

"You okay Kitsune-chan? You look like hell." Naru asked, pulling herself up to check on her friend.

"Pretty much sums up how I feel too." The vixen muttered.

"What on earth happened to you?"

"Haruka-san happened. An' she happened for well over an hour." Shuddering slightly, Mitsune tried not to remember too much of what had taken place. It was ironic – she'd watched some of the worst horror films known to man, crash-landed in one of Su's flying machines…..but it was only now that she really understood what 'terror' truly meant.

It meant Haruka Urashima in a rage.

"Why?"

"'Cause otherwise we were in deep trouble. Shinobu called and asked Haruka why Keitaro's card wasn't working. She was gonna give her the helpline number, an' can ya imagine what would've happened when they found out an unknown caller cancelled his card without his knowledge?" With a gentle sigh Mitsune waved a limp hand in the air. "We would've been tracked down, an' even though Keitaro wouldn't press charges it's the kinda mud that sticks. Compared to that, an evenin' at the mercy of Haruka was a fair trade."

Naru, whose mouth had been falling more and more open as her friend's speech went on, felt herself fill up with an odd mixture of gratitude and shame. "I'm sorry, I should've been there too and taken my fair share of the blame."

"Ah, it was my idea in the first place. Gotta say I deserved it." Opening her eyes a fraction, the fox glanced at Naru. "Mind you, somethin' good came outta the whole ordeal."

"Good? Kitsune-chan, you look like you had a fight with a threshing machine and lost." Her friend replied, face sympathetic.

"Well, after about an hour Haruka decided that she needed a toilet break to recover some energy for round two. Which means….." Reaching across with her right hand Mitsune pulled the left sleeve of her coat up, revealing a hastily scribbled number in black ink running up her forearm. "…..I've got the number Shinobu called from right here."

* * *

* * *

The new room was nicer than the last. The walls were less lurid, the street outside less busy and the beds more comfortable.

It was the plural which presently had Keitaro concerned.

Looking at the two beds sat invitingly side-by-side, the man turned to his younger friend and peered at her with obvious puzzlement. "Shinobu-chan, are you sure this is all they have?"

"Yes, Kei-kun." The girl replied, busying herself with unpacking so her friend couldn't see the flush upon her cheeks or her lying eyes. It was beyond the girl to tell such a blatant falsehood without at least twelve facial, physical and vocal cues all screaming to anyone with half a mind that she wasn't being entirely honest. Thankfully for her Keitaro took her words at face value, and set his own case down upon what was designated as his bed.

"Well….I might be able to find another place for tonight….."

"Kei-kun, please." Stopping what she was doing Shinobu turned to face the man, face now red for a different reason. "We stayed together last night, in the same bed! No-one else knows, and no-one else will know, what goes on here stays between us." In truth, the girl wouldn't have made such a forward move if the previous night hadn't happened, but when it had it only served to remind her how badly she wanted this. It also had provided that bit of reassurance that she was perfectly safe with Keitaro – something she'd always believed would be the case, but not _known_ until now. "I want to be with you and help you through this, and I can't do that on the other side of a wall."

"But yesterday was an emergency. Choosing to share a room, uh, I'm not sure it's proper…." To his shock, Keitaro found himself silenced by Shinobu's finger placed atop his lips. By the look on her face the girl had surprised herself too, but ploughed on resolutely.

"I trust you completely…but you don't trust me back." Seeing Keitaro about to protest, the girl shook her head gently. "If you did, you'd believe me when I say I want this, believe me when I say it will stay between us and only us." Letting out a quiet sigh, the diminutive figure gazed up with pleading violet eyes, a look which even the most stone-hearted of men could not resist. "I know you've had the trust beaten out of you and it's hard to get it back…..but can you give me a chance? Trust me just this once?"

"….." In truth, Keitaro was scared witless. But something in the truth of Shinobu's words managed to reach through, reminding him that his self-appointed judge, jury and executioners were not here.

Only him, and her. The one person who had never knowingly caused him harm.

The incident involving a beach, the kiss of life and a reflexive kick to the testicles aside, that is.

Suddenly, the prospect wasn't daunting as it had seemed. The prospect of sharing personal space with someone who wouldn't examine every word and every action for potential perversion was actually quite……nice. She was right – he could trust her. Trust her to keep what they shared secret.

Trust her to trust _him._

"Yeah, you're right. I do trust you." He said, being rewarded with a glowing smile as he did so. "I'm just a bit wary, that's all. Whenever I've shared a room before I'm in a cage with a sleeping tiger, just waiting to be mauled the moment I wake it up."

"Forget tiger, I'm hardly a kitten." Shinobu answered, shoving her now empty suitcase off the bed and jumping onto it herself, before stretching out cat-like upon its surface. "Even when I'm really mad I'm pretty harmless, and I'm not looking for a reason to get that way."

"Cute like a kitten, too." It took Keitaro several moments to realise he'd just spoken out loud. It was obvious when the realisation filtered through – he clapped a hand over his mouth and turned the shade of a ripe tomato before attempting to stutter an apology. Shinobu waved it off, all the while feeling the seed of hope still buried in her somewhere beginning to take root.

For the second time, he'd said she was 'cute'.

It wasn't 'attractive', but it was a massive step in the right direction.

Deciding to explore a little further, the girl forced down the giggles which were begging for release and pulled herself into a kneeling position, settling comfortably as she faced the man sat on the edge of the other bed.

"Trust me Kei-kun, a complement is something that I'll always be happy to receive." Pinning the man with her eyes, Shinobu took a metaphorical breath and a determined step into the unknown. "So….what does 'cute' mean to you?"

"Huh?" Obviously thinking he'd got away with the statement, the deer-in-headlights expression upon Keitaro's face was comical. Not liking the fear she saw mixed in, the girl moved to clarify.

"I'm not trying to catch you out or trap you, I'm just interested. What is 'cute'? I really want to know." She soothed, violet irises gleaming with apparently innocent curiosity while her stomach clenched like a fist within her. It was setting herself up for disappointment, she knew, but something about the way the man had said it……

"Uhm, well, I-I suppose cute is……nice?" The statement actually came out like a question, as if Keitaro was dipping his toe into the waters to see if it would be bitten off. When the keen silence stretched out to ten seconds, the bespectacled man took the plunge. "I-I suppose it's the word I use when I…feel protective of someone or something. When I want to hold whatever…it…is close and just enjoy its presence, wanting to see her – uh, it happy no matter what..." He finished, looking down at his hands with obvious embarrassment.

Shinobu almost choked on air.

"S-so, when you think 'cute', what do you think of?" She stuttered out, fingers gripping the bedspread with unconscious tension.

"Um, well….." Voice dropping to a murmur Keitaro muttered a word towards the ground, as if hoping it would go unheard.

It didn't, but the suddenly breathless girl needed to hear it spoken aloud, if for no other reason than to be sure her ears weren't deceiving her.

"Who, Kei-kun?" The man before her swallowed audibly, before straightening with the attitude of a prisoner facing judgement.

"You, Shinobu-chan."

For several seconds not even the sound of breathing punctuated the silence, the pair staring at each other motionless as a photograph, one apparently stunned, the other rigid and pensive. It was only the sight of tears collecting in the corners of his friends eyes that spurred Keitaro out of his statue-esque state, although typically his reaction was borne out of misunderstanding.

"Ah! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!! I didn't…" Instantly entering full-blown 'penance' mode, the ex-Ronin was about to proceed onto pleas for forgiveness when a tiny voice interrupted.

"Please don't say you didn't mean it……" Although barely above a whisper, Shinobu's soprano held enough weight to stop Keitaro's onrushing train of thought dead in its tracks. Lifting her head a fraction, the girl looked her companion and heart's desire in the eye, uncaring of the tears which spilled from her own. "You did mean it didn't you, Kei-kun?"

As he locked gazes with Shinobu, any cowardly thoughts Keitaro had of denying his words simply vanished as the memory of the figure smeared upon the mirror the day before flashed though his mind. Somehow, the man understood how much the girl before him needed to hear the truth. Seeing the little figure knelt a few feet away look so delicate, so fragile….. It was as if the girl was a butterfly, one who had placed herself in his hands and was now sat awaiting her fate. A careless word would be enough to crush her wings, leave her flightless or even lifeless.

If she could be brave enough to leave herself vulnerable, then so could he.

"Of course I mean it. You're more than cute Shinobu-chan, you're beautiful." He said truthfully, not daring to look away in case she thought he could be lying.

This time, there was no missing the gasp which escaped from Shinobu's lips.

"Auuuu, Kei-kun….." She almost sighed, her smile heedless of the rivulets which flowed unabated down her face. In a flash of unusual insight, Keitaro realised exactly what the diminutive figure knelt on the bed before him needed.

And this time, the arms which wrapped around her trembling frame were anything but tentative.

"Any time, Shinobu-chan." Hearing chuckles beginning to punctuate the tears, Keitaro contentedly held the girl as with a genuine smile slipped into place. It was like being in a different world, for a few moments Naru and the heavy clouds obscuring his horizons ceased to exist. It was simply two people, two people seeking and finding genuine comfort in a hotel room, miles away from home.

Or was it so simple?

The head said yes, but the heart wasn't so sure any more…..

Deciding to file it away for further thought in the near future, the man returned his attention to the soft, deliciously warm bundle still clinging tightly to him. Certainly Shinobu was much warmer than any blanket he'd ever owned – deciding going down that line of thought was only likely to end in trouble, Keitaro rubbed a gentle hand across the girl's back, something that prompted her to raise her tear-stained face from its resting place. Wet and joyful eyes looked back at him, their owner sniffling quietly but making no moves to, well, move.

"S-sorry Kei-kun." She croaked, dabbing gently at her face with a handkerchief which had mysteriously appeared in her left hand. "I….I never thought anyone would say that, let alone you…."

"I don't see why. It's obvious to me even without my glasses." Keitaro soothed, running fingers through the girl's violet hair in a gesture of comfort he would never have dared forty-eight hours previously.

"Auuuu, you're too nice." Either exhausted or lulled by the massaging fingers, the girl let her head flop back into its previous position with a long sigh. A few seconds later the same almost-purr which had emerged upon the train made another appearance, its owner clearly enjoying her friend's gentle ministrations. The fact she was purring only centimetres from his right ear was not lost on Keitaro, who found it pretty difficult to ignore. So difficult in fact that he tapped her on the shoulder before whatever it was that was boiling in the pit of his stomach made it impossible.

"Shinobu-chan, I think it's time we got ready for bed." Slowly the girl raised her head to barely centimetres above his own, an unconscious pout forming upon her mouth.

"Do we have to? I'd be much more comfortable with you as a mattress."

If he'd been in the position to face-fault, Keitaro would have. He would've bet the Hinata-sou on _not_ hearing Shinobu say that. Ever.

He settled for gaping like a breathless fish.

"Sh-Shinobu-chan!" The aforementioned girl chuckled, a noise like the chiming of a dozen tiny crystal bells.

"I never thought I'd say that either." She managed between the laughter, violet eyes happy as Keitaro had ever seen them.

Suddenly, the man thought he'd never seen as wonderful a sight.

Unbidden, Keitaro felt his head lean downwards and creep slowly towards the one positioned barely an inch away, while his conscience hammered frantically on the door it had been locked behind. Slowly the distance between the two sets of lips closed, neither person noticing when their eyes closed almost instinctively in preparation for their contact…..

Then the conscious portion of Keitaro's mind broke out of its temporary prison, and took control.

After a few seconds the two faces parted, both sets of eyes opening and staring at one another. Slowly, Shinobu got up as her left hand reached towards her face, passing across her mouth and cupping her right cheek.

"Sorry, Shinobu-chan. But I don't think I could do something like…that yet." Brown met violet, one gaze begging the other to understand.

Eventually, Shinobu nodded.

"I know." She intoned, hand not moving from its position upon her cheek. The pair stared at one another for several seconds more, a pause which should have been awkward and filled with static, yet somehow wasn't – as if both knew that the time wasn't right. Eventually, Keitaro ran a hand through his hair and looked down at the girl before him with a half-smile.

"So, do you want first use of the shower?"

"No, you go first Kei-kun."

"Thanks Shinobu-chan." Padding over to the bathroom, Keitaro switched on the light and paused just for a second, as if about to speak. A tiny shake of the head later he stepped inside the bathroom and shut the door, while in the now empty room left behind Shinobu sank into a prone position upon her bed, hand still resolutely fixed in place. For several long moments silence reigned, until a tiny whisper drifted through the still air, spoken as if from a trance.

"Yet." Her fingers tracing the outline of the lips which had so recently brushed her skin, violet irises staring into the distance, Shinobu muttered the words between lips fixed in a smile. "He said _yet_……"

* * *

* * *

Tracing the number had been simple, so much so that Su didn't even have to pull any mechanical trickery in order to pull the task off.

The result, however, was quite a surprise.

"Sapporo?! They went to Sapporo?" Sipping carelessly at a glass of sake, Mitsune shook her head in disbelief. "When someone 'round here goes on vacation, they don't take prisoners."

"I agree Konno-san. It is far from an obvious destination, and additionally it is a relatively distant one. I sincerely doubt that we would have suspected such a decision." Crossing her legs elegantly, Motoko placed her folded hands upon her knee. "I suppose the question is now, what do we do with the knowledge?"

"Shame is we only know the town they're in. Would be nice if they'd called from the hotel lobby, or even better one of their rooms." It had taken the Hinata-sou's resident vixen half-an-hour of phone calls before someone had actually answered. A couple of quick questions to the puzzled man at the other end had identified the number as belonging to a phone box in central Sapporo. This was good, but at the same time bad as it didn't give them much of clue where in the city their wayward friends were residing.

Sapporo was, in a word, big.

And although restricting the search to hotels in the central region would help, it would still take a lot of time and might lead to some difficult questions being asked. Even so, the remaining residents had far more chance now than they had before Mitsune's moment of bravery in the face of danger.

Given her bruises, everyone agreed she'd earned their thanks.

"I agree. But again, I ask the question which is most pertinent at this moment in time; what do we do with the knowledge? It is not outside our abilities to locate their place of residence by travelling to Sapporo and simply investigating." Motoko repeated, casting a glance at the as yet silent member of the trio. "Naru-san, I feel this decision hinges upon you. I personally have no qualms about making our way to the station soon as dawn encroaches upon the horizon tomorrow, but in truth I am beginning to believe that our young friend is indeed safe with Urashima. Clearly, you have the most to gain from the decision made."

'_And the most to lose too….'_ Naru added mentally, before glancing across at Mitsune. Understanding a question when she saw one, the fox shrugged.

"This mornin' I would've said 'let's go' right off the bat. But now….." Remembering Haruka's tirade, Mitsune's voice took on a reflective edge. "Now, I reckon we're best off takin' a step back an' thinkin' things through. Keitaro left for a reason, an' hand on heart I'd trust him with my little sister. If I had one." Catching Naru's eye as the honey-haired girl seemed to ready herself for an anti-chauvinist rant, Mitsune shook her head slowly. "Naru-chan, let's get real here. Shinobu's safe. She said so herself, on paper an' down the phone. Keitaro's so scared of us he won't touch her with a ten-foot pole. An' besides, I reckon he's safe a guy as ya can find; he's been keepin' a promise to a girl he doesn't even know for longer than Shinobu's been on this earth."

"So what are you saying, Kitsune-chan?" Her friend asked, deflating slightly as the righteous anger which flowed far too readily through her veins began to dissipate.

"I'm sayin', like Motoko-chan here, that we can't use Shinobu's safety as a reason. We do, an' we're lyin' to ourselves." Mitsune said simply. "An' since you're the one with the vested interest, it's your call."

"Yeah, I know…." Naru took her glasses from their perch upon her nose and fiddled with them, once again looking nothing like the invulnerable girl she liked to appear to be. "But the waiting is killing me. What would you do Kitsune-chan?"

"Naru-chan, I can't tell ya what to do." Seeing the pleading in her friend's eyes, the fox sighed gently in defeat. "Okay. If it were me, I'd hang back. Hard? Hell yeah. It sounded like they're havin' a good time, an' on top of that she's already given him a nickname." Internally, Mitsune felt half-impressed and half-concerned by Shinobu's rapid progress – and she couldn't pretend all the concern she felt was for Naru's chances. In fact the 'Kei-kun' which had slipped through the telephone conversation had the Hinata-sou's resident fox planning to get the next train to Sapporo, but subsequently Haruka's warnings had taken effect.

Additionally, the young woman had begun wondering if her own tactics towards Keitaro had been badly flawed the entire time – flirting and manipulating were fun and effective, but only provided financial gain. She wasn't the only one to get things wrong – Naru's decision to rule by intimidation and Motoko's decision to forget carrots and rely upon stick (lots of stick) at every opportunity had kept Keitaro at arms length, yes, but neither were willing to admit they secretly wanted to pull him closer.

In the end it was a simple as the youngest resident showing a little respect and a little compassion. As a result she was already much better off than any of them.

At approximately that moment, Mitsune realised that she was actually jealous of her young friend.

It was also at that moment she realised Naru was still waiting for the rest of her answer, and that she'd been staring into space for nearly a minute.

"So yeah, as I was saying, it's hard stayin' here…but better than goin' off like a firework. If ya go now neither of ya will be ready when ya do meet. Plus Shinobu's gonna be mighty cross; I reckon she'll be like some sorta miniature mother bear with an oversized cub."

"Yeah…."

"There is another possibility." Motoko added, olive eyes keenly watching Naru. "We do have a telephone number now. And we also know that at some point tomorrow Shinobu will call Haruka. It is not unreasonable to expect she will use the same telephone box as before, most people like to use what is familiar to them."

"An' if we ring the box straight after she's finished talkin' to Haruka, she'll probably pick up." Mitsune added, catching on to the idea. "Then, at the very least, ya could talk to him Naru-chan."

"There's a lot of chance involved in this plan, but short of going directly to Sapporo and provoking a confrontation I feel it is our best option, at least for the moment." The swordsmistress added, nodding at her older friend. For several seconds a war broke out on Naru's face, obvious desire to make contact tempered by the worry of what she might discover when she did. Eventually, she sighed in agreement.

"It does sound like a good plan. Question is, how are we going to know when Haruka is speaking to them? It's not like we can loiter in the café, after today I'm not going near the place."

"I'd have thought that'd be obvious." Mitsune answered, breaking into a grin. "Su-chan! You got a minute?!"

* * *

* * *

Gazing at the monitor before her, Kaolla Su idly peeled a banana with her toes. The location of the tracing devices in both Keitaro and Shinobu's luggage had moved during the day, but not far and above all they were still together, something that cheered the Molmolian princess significantly.

In truth, the girl would've given anything to have gone on the trip herself. But it seemed to her that Shinobu had earned her chance at happiness, and given the way things had been for her good friend up until that point in her life Su felt that she deserved every second she spent alone with the man of her dreams.

Kaolla was also very fond of Keitaro. Very, very fond, in fact. However, her destiny was somewhere else.

Clicking off the screen, the lithe figure eased out of her chair and paced across the clearing in her artificial jungle home, before hopping up into a hammock strung between two sturdy-looking palm trees. Slinging a foot over the edge of her impromptu bed and idly biting a chunk off the top of the banana, Su let out what was almost a sigh; a sound no-one in the Hinata-sou would believe she could ever make.

Yes, she missed Molmol and her family. And yes, she wanted to go back there and take up her place as queen in the future, something that was pre-ordained in her life.

The shame was that, whenever she pictured herself upon her throne, she pictured someone undeniably resembling the Hinata-sou's Kanrinin sitting beside her.

Not her brother, either.

It had been Su's dream for some time to, at some point, spirit Keitaro away to Molmol and show him the wonders of the land, show him the future he could have in the idyllic surroundings of her palace. Make him an offer he'd be hard pressed to refuse, so to speak. As a bonus, given the nature of Molmol and all its laws and idiosyncrasies, they needn't leave anyone they didn't want to behind. Polygyny and its reverse were common practices, and if theg others involved were game then so was she.

But if Shinobu got there first…..

Demolishing the rest of her snack, the girl threw her hands behind her head and stared at the artificial ceiling she had created, which at present was displaying a fine tropical sunset. It was impossible for her to really consider kidnapping Keitaro if Shinobu was already with him. As things were, no-one really had a claim on anyone, and secretly Su had hoped it would remain the case. Even if it were one of the others, well, unless Keitaro had already popped the question she would still play her hand and see what happened.

She couldn't do the same thing to her best friend.

As it was, the latest communication she had received from Molmol suggested she may be called back sooner rather than later, permanently or not she didn't know yet. But it did put a certain pressure upon her, one she could really do without.

So absorbed was Su in her daydreaming that she almost missed the faint noise of her name being called from downstairs. Raising her head, the girl clearly heard Mitsune's second call and felt a fresh grin breaking out on her face. Someone wanted her, which almost certainly meant they wanted something.

This almost certainly meant a fresh chance to cause havoc.

Now, let it not be said that Kaolla Su was anything other than an inventive genius. The Molmolian took as much satisfaction as anyone else when something she'd created worked perfectly. But it was even more fun when the creations broke in an amusing manner, or even better, when the creation worked in a way which caused some of the aforementioned havoc.

She'd promised Shinobu that she would make sure her potential pursuers were hindered to the best of her ability.

The fun she had performing hindrance was merely a by-product. Convenient, ne?

Springing like, well, a spring from her hammock, Su bolted out of her door with a speed which would make many a captain of the USS Enterprise green with envy.

Against Kaolla Su, the Borg would have had no chance.

Appearing rather than arriving in the lobby, the Princess smiled at those present with her usual toothpaste-commercial grin, apparently bouncing with enthusiasm.

"Heya! You rang Kitsune?"

"Hi Su-chan." Returning the grin the fox beckoned Su closer. "I've got a favour to ask of you."

"Yeah?"

"Well, we know where Shinobu is. Roughly." Not noticing the tiny dip in her young friend's grin, Mitsune nodded at Naru who was still sat meekly on one corner of the settee. "Thing is, we've only got the number of a phone box she called from. Naru really needs to speak to Keitaro, and he'll be calling Haruka tomorrow, so I was wondering….."

"You wanna know when Haruka's on the phone?" The Molmolian finished, wheels turning in her head. There wasn't really any option which would create a diversion, but it didn't mean she had to make life easy….. "The CIA confiscated my wire-tapping machine; they thought I was listenin' in on national secrets. I was only tryin' to get the latest weather report, honest." Su shrugged, apparently apologetic.

"Ah, damn." Mitsune scratched her head, apparently bereft of ideas. "Guess it's back to spyin' in the café for me…."

"Spying? Why didn't you say? I've got live CCTV feed the whole time!" Grin firmly back in place, Su nodded eagerly at the assembled company. "I can set up a live connection to a monitor, an' then you can watch all you like!"

"Really? That's great! Thanks Su-chan!" Naru piped up from the settee, first smile for some time appearing on her own face.

"No probs! Let me get it set up tonight, an' I'll bring the monitor down tomorrow." Su chirruped, looking extremely happy with herself. "No time to lose, see you then!"

"Ta Su-chan." Mitsune put in, watching the girl bounce back up the stairs before turning to look at her friends. "Well, looks like we've got a chance. I'll take first watch tomorrow."

"I will take the second. Oh, and by the way…" Turning to Naru, Motoko regarded her friend with an interested expression. "Are you not meant to travel to Kyoto tomorrow, Naru-san?"

"Bugger Kyoto." Naru said bluntly, drawing a snort from Mitsune. "It'll still be there next year."

"That's the spirit Naru-san. I reckon we'll get hold of them tomorrow, even if it takes all day. After all, we've got Su on our case now." The fox soothed, nodding to the now empty staircase.

Just out of sight, Su grinned to herself. Mitsune was right; they did have her on their case, only not in the manner that they thought. Resisting the urge to practice her 'maniacal evil genius' laugh (something she couldn't dedicate as much time to as she wished) the girl bounded off to her room post haste.

She had editing to do.

* * *

* * *

It was so late, it was almost early.

Not quite dawn, but not far off either.

Staring blankly upwards, Keitaro wished he could see the ceiling through the darkness. Although even if he could, the absence of glasses upon his face would have significantly reduced his viewing pleasure all the same.

It wasn't really fair. He'd taken a train to a completely different island to escape the confusion which plagued life at the Hinata-sou, only to find it had followed him like his shadow.

In truth, it should have been easy to sleep. The bed he slept upon was much more comfortable than his usual futon at home; he could almost feel his back beginning to re-shape into a more favourable position. The room was much quieter than that he'd stayed in previously, as the plaza in front of the station was busy any time of the day or night. For example, in this hotel there hadn't been the sound of a pair of tramps scrapping over a bag lady at two in the morning, nor had there been the constant noise of rail-bound machines moving back and forth providing a constant bass rumble.

As it turned out, the relative silence just provided a lack of distractions.

Even the presence of another person in the same room had ceased bothering him some time ago. In fact, the soft breathing and occasional gentle murmuring from Shinobu was much more relaxing than the chain-sawing which seeped through his ceiling in the Hinata-sou.

Even that memory held a bitter-sweet taste.

Keitaro reasoned that he should've known one night wouldn't change everything; even though it had offloaded a lot of the despair which had weighed him down, there was still some thinking to do. Knowing where he stood according to Naru would be nice, but it was beginning to occur to him that what he really needed to know was where_ he_ wanted to stand.

That was more difficult than he'd thought. Instinct responded 'right next to Naru', but his nocturnal reflections were beginning to shake what he'd thought unshakeable. In his heart of hearts, the man was beginning to tire of everything – if there had been even a flicker of real affection, some kind of reciprocation at any point it would be different…..But it wasn't just the last month when he'd been held in limbo. It was the last eighteen.

Then, the pro-Naru side of his mind would remind him of the way he loved her. The way that he wished they could be together. The possibility that, after all the years which had passed, he might have finally found his promised girl and fulfilled their vow.

But, the disaffected side would argue, what if she _wasn't_? Even more to the point, what happened if he found it was someone else - leaving a choice between Naru and the ghost he'd been chasing for the past fifteen-plus years. Who would win?

Would he still want Naru so much if it weren't for his suspicions?

Was the girl he wanted a hazy memory of a childhood love pasted on top of someone else? And even if Naru was the girl of his memories, did that mean she was really the same girl he'd once known? Time changed people, after all.

Yet, despite all of the logical arguments, Keitaro still felt a pull towards his temperamental tenant he couldn't quite ignore. Hopefully time would tell if it was simply a dream, or something more enduring…..

The sound of movement from the other bed startled the man, and he hurriedly rolled onto his side to face the other way, in case his feigned sleep was unsuccessful in deceiving his room-mate. Straining his ears, he had to remember to keep his breathing steady as the sound of soft footfalls punctuated the quiet. Closing his eyes and adopting the most relaxed expression he could manage, it took all of Keitaro's willpower to maintain his façade when the footfalls stopped right next to his bed for several seconds. Eventually the girl moved away, apparently heading to the bathroom. When the light ignited with a 'click' and the bathroom door creaked quietly the man allowed himself a sigh of relief, opening his eyes once again.

The silver of light emerging where Shinobu left the door ajar – presumably because closing the door might awaken him – proved a welcome distraction to the darkness. Eyes tiredly gazing at the brightness, Keitaro idly listened to the sounds coming from the bathroom, awaiting his cue to feign sleep once more while his mind returned to chasing its tail.

It wasn't until the room suddenly brightened that he realised his mistake. Slamming his eyelids shut, the last image burned onto his retinas was that of Shinobu looking at him with her hand on the light switch. Half a second later the blackness returned with a 'click', and the sound of padding feet approached. Hoping against hope that they would pass him by, Keitaro felt his heart sink as they paused beside his bed, then felt it jump as the mattress moved when the weight of another person joined his.

"I know you're awake, Kei-kun." Giving in, he rolled onto his back and opened his eyes, to see the owner of the soft soprano voice which had spoken sat on the edge of his bed.

"Hi, Shinobu-chan. Couldn't sleep?" Keitaro asked casually, placing his hands behind his head.

"Just needed the toilet." Shinobu replied, a touch of bashfulness in her voice. "How about you?"

"Nah, just can't settle." Squinting into the darkness, the man could just make out the slim silhouette a couple of feet away as he mentally replayed the last thirty seconds. "Were you trying to catch me out?"

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't flush the toilet, or use the sink."

"…..You were listening?" Shinobu half-squeaked, blush almost audible. For a long moment Keitaro felt panic descend - Naru or Motoko would've almost certainly commenced pervert-bashing at this point.

"Not really." Tensing, the man felt relief wash over him as the girl sat beside him simply waited for him to continue. "You were just much quicker than I expected, and even though I was miles away I still think I'd have noticed a flush being used."

The silence extended for several more seconds, as Shinobu seemed to weigh his response. Eventually, there was a tiny shift of her weight as she made a gesture not visible through the darkness.

"Well, okay. I believe you Kei-kun." There was the sensation of more movement, until Keitaro felt Shinobu bump up against his ribs. Fighting the urge to jump and move away, the ex-ronin looked up to see his friend's face now just visible in the nocturnal gloom. Making eye contact, the girl held it as if trying to reassure him while slowly reaching out and placing a palm on his blanked-covered chest, tiny frown flickering across her violet orbs as a palpable flinch passed beneath her fingers. Not allowing the reaction to deter her she was rewarded by seeing the man slowly relax, something that encouraged her to speak in her usual gentle tone. "You want to tell me why you were 'miles away'?"

"……I think you can guess." Keitaro replied dryly, smile on his mouth not quite reaching his eyes.

"Naru." The word was spoken with a hint of disapproval, as if it were one of bad taste. "Do you mind if I ask….what you think now?"

"I think I'm confused." Shrugging and settling into a more comfortable position, Keitaro looked down at the hand placed upon his chest. "I still feel something for her, but I'm beginning to wonder if everything else that goes with it is worth the price."

The tiniest hitch of Shinobu's breathing passed by un-noted.

"Do you still love her?"

"I do. At least I think it's love, I certainly miss her now. But….how can you tell? I miss Haruka too, and I don't want to go out with her." Sighing at his musings, Keitaro looked up at the girl sat before him. "I don't know if I'm only seeing what I want to see, and not what's really in front of me….."

"You know Kei-kun, I was always told by my mother 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'. That's how she knew she loved my dad; the longer she spent without him, the more she needed him back." Swallowing audibly, Shinobu steeled herself before going on. "If that's true for you and her then, well, I guess it's meant to be. If that happens, t-then I'll cheer you on all the way."

Silence reigned for a long moment, Shinobu wishing with all her might she didn't have to make the pledge but knowing in her heart that it was the truth.

"Thanks, Shinobu-chan. That means a lot to me." Reaching out Keitaro placed a hand atop hers, giving it a small squeeze as he did so.

"….." Shinobu wished she could respond, but found herself unable to speak. After swallowing several times, the girl managed something nearing a croak. "I think I'd better go back to bed."

"That's a good idea." Releasing the hand, Keitaro watched the silhouette of his friend get up and make her way around to her own bed, which she unceremoniously slid onto before tugging her blanket over her prone form.

"Goodnight, Kei-kun." She said softly, turning onto her side to face the wall.

"Goodnight Shinobu-chan. Sweet dreams." He replied, allowing his eyelids to drift shut as the weight of a sleepless night finally took its toll. Within minutes, the sound of soft snoring began to drift through the room, all too audible to the girl laid wide awake in the other bed.

* * *

* * *

For the twenty-seventh time in the last three hours Mitsune held the phone to her ear, scowling at the sound of unabated ringing echoing from the tiny speaker in the earpiece. After twenty rings the girl slammed it down before sinking her chin into her hands, once again glaring at the CCTV screen before her as if it had just insulted her mother.

Haruka seemed to have had an inordinate amount of calls during the day, but no matter how many times she called the mystery number belonging to a random phone box in Sapporo no-one had picked up once.

She was just about ready to give up.

It had seemed like a viable plan to begin with, even a good one. Sure it relied on a degree of luck; firstly that the distant duo would ring from the same phone as the day before, and then that they would pick up when the phone rang behind them. And, as Shinobu would undoubtedly be calling back to discuss the card situation, at some point during the day Haruka would be answering the phone to her.

Mitsune had never realised quite how often the proprietor of the tea shop answered the phone in a day. It seemed to happen every seven minutes at the least; in fact the fox was beginning to wonder how the hell Haruka ever managed to actually serve tea.

"Still no luck?" Motoko asked, strolling from the kitchen with a bowl of rice in her hands.

"Nah. I swear, that woman spends more time on the phone than a telemarketer." Dragging palms across her tired eyes, the young woman blinked blearily at the slightly out-of-focus images before her. "More than that, I'm sure that guy has been there once today already. Maybe she's got a new best friend."

"It'd be about time." Naru put in from her place on the sofa, idly watching the evening news. "She's the only one who hasn't moved on yet….."

"Hmmmm? I was unaware that Haruka-san needed to move anywhere." Motoko's querying voice was met with a dismissive wave from her honey-haired friend, who seemed much more interested in the upcoming weather forecast than the subject of Haruka's love life.

"It's all history Motoko-san, nothing interesting."

"History? Like hell….." Mitsune muttered, wondering if she had any hangover remedy spare for the headache she could feel building behind her left eye.

"What was that Kitsune-chan?"

"Nothin' Naru-chan. Just talkin' to myself." The fox replied, rubbing her stiffening neck tiredly.

"Just hang in there another five minutes; it'll be my turn soon." Naru soothed, idly noting that the sun was set to continue shining, something that secretly gave her hope. It was much easier to travel in good weather, after all.

"Sure." With a sigh, Mitsune noted Haruka moving towards the phone yet again. "Looks like she's got another call. I'll cover this one, you can take over then."

"Fine by me." Sliding her feet from beneath her and easing into a sitting position, the Tokyo-U student stretched her arms over her head, easing the kinks out of her back. "I wonder if we could get Su-chan to put microphones into the café? It would make life much easier."

"You got that right." Easing forwards and reaching for the phone in anticipation, the fox frowned. "Speakin' of which, where has that girl gotten to anyway? Haven't seen her all day….."

'That girl' was, at that moment in time, where she had been for most of the last twenty-four hours.

In her room, staring at a variety of video screens.

It had taken Su a significant amount of time to put together a video of Haruka doing a day's work from old footage which was nearly seamless, but she had managed it. Yes it did loop every couple of hours, but the transition passed with barely a jolt - hardly more than a touch of artefact really. Given that the others were watching in shifts, it would take some time for anyone to pick up on the recurrences.

Certainly they hadn't so far.

Grinning broadly, Su let her gaze drift to another monitor, this one showing Mitsune sat looking very glum in front of a computer screen with her hand edging towards the phone at her side. It had given the Molmolian a lot of amusement to see the gradual southern descent of her housemates' facial expressions; having begun the day with relative enthusiasm the slow wane into tired boredom was well in progress.

It wasn't in Su's nature to be cruel, but the girl couldn't help but agree with the sentiments a couple of others had expressed in recent days.

Some people were overdue a little penance.

Satisfied, she let her eyes move over to the screen in the bottom-right corner. This one wasn't very interesting; it merely displayed an empty tea-house with the lights dimmed.

Haruka had packed up over half-an-hour ago after all.

Yawning, Su typed with typical speed into a keyboard, organising the closedown sequence she had planned almost as an afterthought the night before. It was simply footage which would kick into life at a certain point in the loop – a point in around twenty minutes time – where the playback would switch to Haruka shepherding the few customers remaining out and shut up shop. After all, it wouldn't really be fair to keep the others watching the tape all night; fun as it was to create chaos everyone needed a rest once in a while.

In fact, to her a rest sounded like a very good idea indeed.

Sinking back into her hammock, the little Molmolian slung a lazy leg over the edge and drifted off into a doze, allowing the missed winks of the night before to catch up with her.

Unfortunately for her, as she drifted from consciousness, she missed the sight of a light coming on in the tea-house, and a casually dressed Haruka Urashima strolling into the room and picking up the phone……

* * *

* * *

Hope the hiatus wasn't too long for any of you. The next chapter is ready, so back to the usual fortnightly release schedule for the time being.

Please leave feedback if you have the time.

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	8. Chapter 8

Time for chapter 8, but first a couple of things.

Firstly, a little note which I maybe should have mentioned at the start – one of my friends initially challenged me to write about a certain subject, which is how this fic got started. Exactly what will become clear, but that means there is an element of AU in this story. I sincerely hope this doesn't put anyone off reading further.

Secondly, I'm starting to find this story difficult to write. I'm not sure if it's up to my normal standard, and some of the feedback I've been getting is a bit mixed, shall we say. I'm beginning to debate if this fic still has a future, as if it's not and enjoyable read I don't see the point in going further. So I would like honest opinions on if I should continue or just leave things as they are.

Hope you enjoy the chapter all the same.

Nodoka.

* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 8

* * *

Motoko rolled smooth wood between her fingers, giving the task in hand her full attention.

When a task required precision, it deserved nothing less.

Olive eyes narrowing, the swordsmistress allowed her grip to tighten, measuring the pressure her fingers required with consummate precision. Almost inaudibly she took a tiny breath in preparation, an innate trigger movement which allowed her to focus her body and mind in a fraction of a second.

Then, a movement almost beyond visible speeds, followed by an audible 'crack' as sound struggled to keep up with the action.

Her training complete Motoko gazed down with only the tiniest hint of pleasure at the pair of chopsticks, perfectly divided without so much as a splinter out of place.

Training could be accomplished in unique ways when you put your mind to it.

Breathing a silent 'Itadakimasu' and placing her hands together as if in prayer, the slim figure nodded her head before taking her chopsticks between elegant fingers and lifting a mouthful of rice from the mound in the bowl before her. Eyeing the amount of steam which was still issuing from the food, Motoko decided to delay her first bite and instead let her eyes focus on the screen which Mitsune sat before.

It appeared Haruka was on the phone again, and given the way Mitsune's hand was inching towards the receiver sat at her side, the conversation seemed to be winding up.

To anyone else, the odd tingling in their stomach might have been put down to indigestion.

Motoko, on the other hand, knew exactly what her senses were trying to tell her.

Something was wrong.

Instinct was the warrior's greatest ally, and the heir to the Shinmei-ryu had learned long ago to ignore hers at her peril. And although she didn't know _exactly_ what was wrong, the way her eyes continued to draw themselves towards the screen currently manned by the Hinata-sou's resident vixen was clue enough.

Dropping the rice back into the bowl, Motoko leaned forwards and studied the screen intently, olive eyes narrowing. As she did, Haruka dropped her phone back into its resting place, and barely a moment later Mitsune snatched hers up, poking the 'redial' button as she did. For a second the fox's breathing paused, before she slammed the receiver down again.

"Ah, hell. Thought we had somethin', but it's just engaged……" Throwing her hands up in exasperation, the fox let them fall down onto her thighs as she pushed herself up. "Damn, three hours and not a bite. I'm callin' it a night." Turning to raid the kitchen, Mitsune blinked as Motoko flew past her and scooped the receiver up, finger stabbing at the redial button.

"Motoko-san?" Naru eased to the edge of her chair, expression curious as her friend replaced the handset before picking it up again a few seconds and repeating the process.

"Naru-san. Look at the top-left corner of the image and tell me what you see."

"Hmmmm?" Slipping alongside the swordsmistress as she again re-set the phone, the girl peered at the screen with puzzled honey eyes - eyes which widened a moment later as she realised what Motoko meant. "The clock says twenty-to-four….."

"Yes. This is not a live picture, which means there is a chance the call may be being made as we speak. I should have realised much sooner that Haruka stops serving well before dinner." Once again dialling and being met with an engaged tone, Motoko replaced the handset with a frown. "It is now approximately the same time that Mitsune observed the call yesterday, so the fact the line is engaged may not be co-incidence. I admit there is more than an element of chance in my assessment; however we have nothing to lose from trying."

"Well it's the first lead we got all day, may as well try our luck for size." Mitsune agreed, while staring at the deceiving clock in disbelief. "I can't believe I was watchin' that damn thing for near three hours an' never noticed…"

"When you're perfectly aware what time it is, why bother checking the clock? I am more interested in learning how we ended up watching a false image." Repeating her earlier actions once again, the swordsmistress shrugged patiently when the same outcome recurred.

"True. Hey Naru-chan, if we do strike lucky do ya gotta be ready." Gesturing towards the phone, Mitsune received an uncertain shake of the head in reply.

"I-I don't know Kitsune-chan. Like you said he might not be ready to hear from me……"

"Or maybe you're not ready to hear from him?" Grabbing Naru by the sleeve the taller woman drew her towards the phone, a firm look settling on her face as she did so. "C'mon Naru-chan, we're doin' this for your benefit much as anyone. Ya got into this mess by sittin' on your hands, time to start usin' them."

"If you wish, I shall make first contact. I am perhaps less involved than either of you." Motoko intoned, nodding her head.

Mitsune blinked at her slowly.

"Motoko-chan, I reckon ya have a short memory. Remember Shinobu-chan's letter? She was pissed at people makin' snap judgements, an' you're on that list. She picks up the phone and hears you, well, it's fifty fifty that she blows up or hangs up." Seeing the inevitable protest brewing, the fox headed it off before her friend could say a word. "Come on, the last time Keitaro was despatched into the stratosphere was two days before they left. You remember what happened next? She gave ya a shoulder so cold it nearly froze ya hand off, and ain't spoken to ya since."

"……" Eyes focussing on the phone, Motoko silently agreed. In retrospect it was obvious that Shinobu's sympathies were beginning to change; so obvious that the swordsmistress wondered how on earth she didn't realise it at the time.

There was another little seed of realisation which had been taking root quietly since that time, one that was less easy to accept, but even harder to ignore. It was the fact that, for the first time that she could remember, she found herself in the wrong. Clearly Keitaro was innocently enjoying a bath the evening Mitsune referred to and Shinobu had deliberately walked in on him – hence the punishment meted out was unwarranted. Then there was Shinobu's letter, or more specifically the line citing the repeated use of judgement without trial……

"Ah, let me." Shrugging, Mitsune nudged the swordsmistress away from the phone with her hip. "I reckon I'm the least likely to send them runnin' to the hills. Well, further than they have already." She added, lifting the handset and striking the 'redial' button once again.

At the sound of ringing she almost dropped it.

"Girls, it's not engaged any more…" Crossing the fingers of her left hand the fox tapped her foot anxiously as the ringing went on for three, four, five seconds……

"Hello?" Called a familiar voice, tinny through the tiny speaker in the earpiece.

This time, Mitsune did drop the phone.

* * *

"……So they cancelled the card?!" Shinobu echoed, disbelief lacing her tone.

"_Yep. To be fair to Naru, I think she didn't realise it would happen."_ Haruka's reply did little to ease the girl's irritation, irritation so obvious that Keitaro was compelled to place a composing hand upon her shoulder. Glancing up at the man with a thankful smile, Shinobu returned her attention to the ongoing conversation.

"Even so, that's a pretty awful thing to do. Why can't they just leave us alone?" She complained, wincing at the way her youthful soprano devalued her words. She wanted to sound a strident and implacable adult, but all her ears heard were the whines of a pouting child.

"_Remember who you're talking about. Mitsune would rather eat her own feet than let a story pass her by, and Naru is almost as bad. Motoko likes to think she's above such things, but show the girl a challenge and she can't help herself. Su…..well, I know where her loyalties lie_." Not entirely surprised Haruka knew of her comrade's part in proceedings, Shinobu nodded in silent agreement at the woman's assessment. _"I don't know what you're going to do for money now, they've forced your hand whether they meant to or not."_ The older Urashima continued, sounding vaguely worried.

Shinobu had to smile. She probably wouldn't admit it at gunpoint, but Haruka cared about Keitaro and her a great deal.

"Thanks to our…..loyal friend…..we're actually pretty well set if we're careful. We've got a decent rate at our apartment; the old lady who runs it said we could have the second week at half price when she overheard us discussing our cash problem. It's got an open air bath as well, which is a bonus - before you ask, it's not mixed." Hearing chuckles raining down the line the girl shot a grin at the man leaning against the side of the phone box, one met with a melodramatic roll of his dark brown eyes. After all, the...excitement he had experienced thanks to open-air bathing areas was so well known that it hardly warranted a mention.

Yet again, Keitaro thanked the heavens he was with Shinobu alone.

"_Could you put him on for a second?" _He heard his 'Aunt' ask the girl beside him, who needlessly nodded her assent.

"Sure Haruka-san." She replied, looking up as she offered the handset. Taking it from her, Keitaro grinned as he placed it against his ear.

"Hello Haruka-obasan?"

"_I'll remember that one."_ The woman in question warned, although a hint of warmth still emanated from the threat. _"I was wondering - what do you want to do about all this? I know you're too soft-hearted for your own good Kei-bozu, but you can't just let them get away with what they've done."_

"I don't really see what I can do. I don't want the authorities to get involved, and I'm several hundred miles away myself." Ignoring the mutterings of Shinobu (who was privately listing the punishments she wanted meted out, starting with a rent hike) Keitaro sighed in resignation. "Look, I'll let you decide. Just don't go getting anyone arrested or evicted – I don't want to break up the Hinata-sou, they're like family to each other."

"_Well, I'll listen to you. For now." _There was a pause at the other end of the line, and Keitaro could almost see his Aunt taking a slow drag on her ever-present cigarette through the silence. _"But any more stupid moves like the last one, and I'll be out for blood. And there will be blood. Lots of blood."_

"Have you been watching horror movies again Haruka-san?"

"_Now and then."_ Another pause borne out of nicotine addiction, then Haruka's voice returned a lot quieter than before. _"Right, before I head off, I want you to promise me you'll take good care of Shinobu-chan."_

"Haruka-san?"

"_Look, the girl's had a tough life so far. If she wants to tell you more she will, but I promised her parents I'd look out for her while she was at the Hinata-sou. I want you to keep that promise for me while she's with you."_

Blinking slowly at the sincerity in Haruka's voice, Keitaro glanced down at the girl beside him who was currently watching the passing traffic (both human and motorised) with absent interest. Even as he did so, the man could feel an odd sensation washing over him, one he seemed to be experiencing a lot since he'd arrived in Sapporo with his young companion. What it was he was unsure, but he did know it made him feel passionately, even fiercely protective of the girl who'd made such an impression into his life in a short time.

Caring for Shinobu had become instinctive as breathing.

So was his answer.

"I promise. And you know how seriously I take promises." Seeing Shinobu giving him a puzzled glance, Keitaro simply smiled.

"_You could say that." _Haruka answered dryly. _"Well, it's time for my dinner. Chicken curry for one. Delicious."_

"Enjoy!" The younger Urashima replied, exchanging farewells with Haruka before putting the phone down. "Okay, I think it's time we got some dinner as well."

"That sounds like a plan." Holding the door open, Shinobu gestured her crutch-bearing friend through it with a smile. "After you."

"Thanks – "

A shrill ringing stopped the pair in their tracks. Sharing a confused glance, Shinobu and Keitaro turned back to regard the box they had just left, or more specifically the phone within. As they watched, the plastic casing of the handset almost seemed to rattle as the ringing grew all the more venomous.

"Perhaps it's Haruka ringing back? Maybe she forgot to tell us something….." Keitaro suggested, unable to shake the feeling of foreboding as he eyed the trembling device.

"Well, only one way to find out. If it's nothing to do with us, I can always hang up." Stepping back into the box, Shinobu plucked the handset from its resting place. "Hello?" Her brow furrowed slightly as a loud rattling accosted her ears, accompanied by the sound of decidedly un-feminine swearing in the background.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm not sure..." Although she didn't like the language, Shinobu couldn't help but feel the voice which spouted it was familiar……

"_Shinobu-chan?!" _

"K-Kitsune-san!" Turning around, the violet-haired girl saw the same shock she felt mirrored on her companion's face as the life they were trying to ignore elbowed its way back into focus.

"_Shinobu-chan, finally! I thought this plan was never gonna work_!" The aforementioned vixen crowed, sounding thoroughly delighted.

Much to her own surprise, Shinobu felt her eyebrow twitch.

"Plan?"

"_Yeah, we've been waitin' for ya to ring Haruka all day! I got the number yesterday after Haruka took seven years off my life for the whole bank card thing."_ Mitsune replied, obviously quite happy with herself.

At that moment, Shinobu could think of at least ten reasons for wanting to do the same thing, with the fox's obvious delight at tracking them down and her part in the bank fiasco top of the list. In the end, the sheer weight of thoughts left her unable to pick just one.

"So you know where we are?" She eventually ground out, shooting Keitaro a significant glance.

"_Yep. Gotta hand it to ya Shinobu-chan, ya had me fooled yesterday."_

"Didn't you read my letter? I told you, we don't want to be found!" The violet-ette replied in what for her was a shout, feeling even her placid temper building. "Don't you have any respect for me at all?"

"_Hey, hey, it's not that. Yeah we're worried about ya, we're bound to be, you bein' our little sister and all."_ Mitsune placated.

"I'm a big enough girl to look after myself. And I've got Kei-kun with me in case I can't." Feeling a warm hand land upon her arm Shinobu looked up at her friend with a grateful smile, some of the agitation leaving her voice. "I trust him with my life, something you'll never understand. Goodbye - "

"_Hold on a second." _Mitsune's urgency made the girl pause, unaccustomed to the fox raising her voice at anything. _"I'm not sayin' come on home. In fact, I'll be the first to hold my hand up an' say you're probably right. But…..ah hell, just give me your word you won't hang up in the next ten seconds. That's all I ask."_ Perplexed, Shinobu gazed blankly at the opposite wall of the booth, wondering why she was being asked to make such a specific pledge.

"Well, okay." She eventually acceded, for the second time in as many minutes wondering where the harm could be in hanging on the telephone.

After a brief muffled argument at the other end of the line, she found out.

"H-hello?" The tentative voice which crept through the speaker was enough to stun Shinobu into silence.

"……Naru-san." She eventually uttered, her entire attention focussed on the man beside her as she said the name. If Keitaro had looked shocked when she'd mentioned Mitsune, he was now officially petrified.

"_Um, hello Shinobu-chan."_

"What do you want?" Even Keitaro winced at the frosty tone.

"_I-I was wondering if Keitaro was there."_ For some reason, the meek voice at the other end of the line only turned up the heat on Shinobu's simmering temper.

"Yes he is, Narusegawa-san." She replied, staring levelly at her friend as she did so.

Keitaro quickly realised what was being asked.

It might have been the way his skin paled to match the whites of his eyes which were all too visible, but Shinobu instinctively realised she in no way wanted to pass the phone to the man beside her.

"_Then could I…"_

"No." The word was definite as a door slamming, subtle as a slap in the face.

"_But Shinobu-chan…"_

"I know the truth Narusegawa-san, and you've had weeks to say your piece. Now it's my turn, and I say no. Kei-kun left to give himself time to think, and it's time he'll have." Almost seething, Shinobu was about to slam the phone down when a faint sob from the other end made her pause.

"_Just for a moment. That's all I ask."_ Shinobu didn't believe Naru was capable of being contrite, but the voice coming out of the phone had proved her wrong. Deliberating as the soft sound of rapid breathing came drifting from the speaker, the promise she'd made the night before floated into her mind.

Reluctantly, the violet-ette realised she really had no choice.

"Well, I'll ask him if he wants to speak to you." Covering the mouthpiece, the girl tilted her head in silent enquiry. Keitaro's chocolate eyes flickered between her and the phone cradled in her hands, uncertainty written large within them, their owner clearly lost. Eventually he sighed and closed his eyes slowly, before shaking his head with obvious reluctance.

Three days ago, Shinobu might have expected to feel triumph at that moment.

Now, not even a hint of it.

"I'm sorry Narusegawa-san, but he says he's not ready." The quiet from the other end made Shinobu wonder if the connection had been lost. Eventually Naru's voice returned, although in anything but its normal glory.

"_Oh. Well……could you tell him I want to speak to him?"_

"Yes, yes I will." Shinobu gradually realised that she wasn't going to get a reply, and slowly replaced the handset while her mind whirled like a snowflake in a blizzard. Leaning back against the side of the phone box she stared blankly in front of her, trying to get some sort of mental footing on the rapidly shifting ground, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Yes, she had wanted the distance between Naru and Keitaro to grow; it gave her a chance after all. But at the same time, two of her best friends were being put through the wringer…and the hint of satisfaction she couldn't help but feel only tasted bitter.

One glance at her close friend reminded her just how bitter.

"Kei-kun?"

"……" Looking like he'd just stared a ghost in the eye Keitaro slowly awoke to the real world, although the pallor of his skin and slightly trembling hands betrayed the weak smile he gave the girl beside him. "That…was unexpected."

"……Come on, we're going back to the hotel." Shinobu stated firmly, nudging past the shell-shocked man and pushing the door to the booth open.

"What about dinner?"

"We'll get it delivered." Without a second thought Shinobu reached back and seized Keitaro's cool hand, wrapping her fingers carefully around his and giving the man a gentle tug. "I don't know about you, but I don't feel like a night out."

"……Yeah." Falling half a step behind his diminutive friend Keitaro allowed himself to be led, his mind divided between people hundreds of miles away and the small hand which warmly held his own.

* * *

Complete silence reigned in the room as Naru gently set the phone back in its cradle, the girl gazing down at her feet while her two friends regarded her in mutual sympathy. Eventually, she visibly straightened and rubbed an agitated hand across her face, taking a deep breath as she did so.

"He…didn't want to speak to me." The dull monotone said as much as the words themselves, Naru seemingly flat as a punctured tyre.

"I see." Motoko murmured, unsure what to say.

"Well, it was worth a try." Stepping forwards Mitsune cleared her throat cautiously. "So, uh, what are we gonna do now?" As her friend turned to face her, the fox felt her heart lift at the sight of a flame once again flickering in Naru's honey eyes.

"We go to Sapporo."

* * *

"That has to be the most…average meal I've ever had." Keitaro said quietly, eyeing the mostly empty trays surrounding him while wiping his mouth on a napkin.

"Yeah, I've never known a Chinese take-out where the cardboard has more taste than the food." Dropping her chopsticks into an open box, Shinobu wondered how it was someone could cook a dish where the ingredients perfectly cancelled one another out, creating the most amazingly bland dish in history.

"Filling though."

"True." Burping in a most unfeminine manner, Shinobu covered her mouth and gave Keitaro an apologetic look. "Sorry about that."

"Better out than in." Dumping his own dining utensils in a convenient tray, the Hinata-sou's Kanrinin-on-hiatus sank back onto his bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Certainly beats the cooking of a few people we know, doesn't it?"

"I know she nearly burnt the house down last time, but I still reckon Su could cook if she put her mind to it."

"She does put her mind to it. The problem is, within ten seconds her mind's put to something else." Waving an arm in the air, Keitaro dismissed the thought. "Anyway, I wasn't talking about her. I was talking about Naru."

"Oh yeah. She could burn water if she wanted to. Mitsune isn't much better, but at least she only burns toast." Mimicking her friend's actions, Shinobu flumped back onto the bed in the manner only someone thoroughly full of Chinese take-away could. "Motoko can do simple well, but she doesn't enjoy cooking. It's just a means to an end for her."

"I always wondered how they fended for themselves before you arrived."

"Mostly the way we did tonight. I don't mind making dinner every day, it's my hobby anyway." Sighing comfortably, the young cook rolled onto her side to face her friend. "Speaking of which - don't you have any hobbies Kei-kun? I've only seen you study and do housework, but you don't really like either of them."

"Well….I never had time to work on my sketching, not since I started studying for university. There is one I still have, but it's kinda embarrassing….." Glancing over, Keitaro watched the girl alongside him visibly perk at his words, shifting to let her violet eyes focus on him more closely.

"Go on?"

"Nah, it's not worth mentioning really…"

"Go oooooon, Kei-kun." Shinobu nudged, scooting towards the edge of her bed. "I won't say a word, scout's honour. Not that I've ever been a scout, but – anyway, just tell me."

"Okay, well, I….collect photo booth stickers." Puzzled by Keitaro's sheepish tone, Shinobu frowned.

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"It is when you're the only one in the pictures." As his friend drew in a breath of understanding Keitaro rolled to face her, self-effacing grin on his mouth. "I've only got two pictures with someone else, and they were both with Naru……"

It would have been a good moment for a cricket to chirp, or a bird to sing, just to disturb the silence which hung like a lead curtain through the room. As it was, the only noise was that of springs quietly creaking under the weight of a man who had suddenly decided to study the ceiling again, grin suddenly absent without leave.

"Why didn't you talk to her?" Shinobu asked, eyes still studying her friend.

"…..It was such a shock. It brought everything back, the whole of the last month. I must admit I'm……starting to have doubts about it all, Shinobu-chan." Keitaro almost whispered, face a study in uncertainty.

"Doubts? But, but last night you said you loved her." The girl replied, trying to keep her voice under control.

"Yeah, and….I do. But I don't know if that's enough any more. I've been thinking a lot, and the more I do the more I wonder – I'm not the only one who can't see it working."

"Who else?" Mentally, Shinobu scanned her memories to try and see if she'd had any part in it.

"Kitsune. In fact, it was her who gave me the push I needed…..."

* * *

_Shadow had claimed the room a few hours previously, and Keitaro couldn't be bothered taking it back by turning on a light. It wasn't as if there was anything he wanted to see anyway – the four walls of his room became very dull very quickly, and he really didn't want to look at the ceiling above him. _

_So, the Kanrinin simply closed his eyes and waited for sleep to arrive._

_Unfortunately, sleep was being delivered by second-class post. _

_Hence, the man was actually a little cheered to hear his door being knocked, although he did wonder who could be about at the hour in question._

"_Come in." He called softly, squinting at the light streaming through the door as it opened. A silhouetted figure slipped in, and with a quiet click the room and Mitsune were illuminated._

"_Evenin' Keitaro-kun." The fox purred, glass and bottle clasped in her right hand, flush borne of sake upon her face._

"_Oh, hello Mitsune-san." Pushing himself into a sitting position on his futon, Keitaro quickly listed the potential reasons for the visit, and found he liked very few of them. "Is there something I can do for you?"_

"_Nah, just a social visit." Came the answer, delivered with a smile._

_It was all Keitaro could do not to groan out loud. 'Social visit' was the worst possible answer; it meant trickery, extortion or interrogation. Given the way he was being eyed up, he was willing to bet on the latter._

"_You want some sake? It's pretty tidy stuff tonight." Taking an uninvited seat much closer than her impromptu host was comfortable with, Mitsune pushed the half-full cup in Keitaro's direction. "I reckon you could do with some."_

"_I'll pass, thanks." _

"_Ah, go on." Leaning forwards, the silver fox smirked when her target's eyes briefly flickered down and up again, an obvious redness breaking across his cheeks. "What's a drink between friends?"_

"_R-really, no thanks Kitsune-san."_

"_Well, I'll just leave the glass with you, just in case you change your mind." Pushing the aforementioned container into Keitaro's hand, Mitsune took an idle swig from the bottle she'd retained. "So, what's been goin' on with you?"_

"_What do you mean?" His voice defensive, the Kanrinin leaned back as his tenant leaned forwards again, attempting to emphasise her assets._

_Mitsune had assets any bank would envy._

"_Y'know, work, life, love…" Spotting the twitch with ease, the girl grinned and eased herself a little closer. "I'm not blind Keitaro-kun. You and Naru have been repellin' each other like a pair of matched magnets. I wanna know what's goin' down that has you miserable as a dog in the rain."_

"_It's nothing." _

"_Ah, c'mon. You can tell your resident agony aunt anythin'." Slipping an arm through one of his, Mitsune had to stop herself from chuckling at the visible sweat which broke out on Keitaro's brow._

"_H-honestly Kitsune-san, you don't need to worry." He stuttered out, trying (and failing) to extract his arm without being obvious._

"_Too late sugar. So come on, spill."_

"_Mitsune-san, I'm not saying anything." _

"_Neither will I, my lips are sealed. Ya can tell me."_

"_Please, just leave it alone…"_

"_I bet it's somethin' juicy, maybe an illicit liaison…"_

"_LEAVE IT!" It was the first time Mitsune could remember Keitaro raising his voice, and as she instinctively pulled away from him, the fox realised she wanted it to be the last. Anger coming from her only male 'friend' just seemed very, very wrong._

"_Okay, okay. Sheesh, what side of bed did you get out of this mornin'?"_

"_The same side I got into tonight." Keitaro replied, his posture screaming 'leave me alone' at the top of its voice._

_Mitsune ignored it._

"_C'mon Keitaro-kun, I'm sick of you and Naru mopin' around. I haven't seen the girl so strung out since Seta left, and heaven knows I could do without a repeat of that saga." Seeing the man waver, his silver-haired friend sighed gently, a touch of sympathy edging into her voice. "Look, I know what went down probably wasn't all your fault. Hell, I know how blind Naru can be when it comes to how her feelings affect others, she pretty much ran rough-shod over me an' Haruka when she set her sights on Seta. Don't tell her I told ya that though……" If the fox was hoping her bout of unusual honesty would tease the truth out of Keitaro, she found herself disappointed. She did, however, manage to tease a smile out of the man – something scarcely seen in recent times._

"_I appreciate the sentiment Mitsune-san. But I've said all I'm going to, from now on it's up to Naru."_

"_Ah well. Can't blame a girl for tryin'. Guess I'll just have to plug Naru some more." Scooping her cup and bottle up Mitsune eased to her feet, before glancing down at the man who was already making himself comfortable upon his futon. "Y'know, I keep on wonderin' why ya put yourself through all this, day after day." _

"_I think it's obvious." Keitaro muttered in response, eyes already closed in anticipation of sleep._

"_I think it's crazy." Turning away from the prone form, Mitsune didn't notice the man's eyes slam open again and fix upon her back as she strolled towards the door. "Ya been fightin' most of the last eighteen months, and ya still holdin' onto your dreams of happily-ever-after? Get real, that whole hate becoming love rubbish only happens in books. Naru-chan's my closest friend, and I don't know what's happened but I do know the mess between you two is screwin' her up as much as you – d'you reckon your 'happily-ever-after' is worth ruinin' two lives for?" Stepping out of the room, the Hinata-sou's resident vixen paused as her words caught up with her. Faltering on the threshold, she debated the pros and cons of apologising. _

_In the end, pride closed the door behind her._

* * *

"Then I started really thinking. Wondering if things could ever really work between Naru and me, or if it was even worth trying any more." Keitaro stated plainly, giving the best shrug he could in his prone position.

"You know, it sounded like she really wanted to talk with you." Shinobu admitted, chin cupped in her hands as she sat on the edge of her bed. "I…got the feeling she's ready to start being honest."

"……Shinobu-chan, remember what you said last night? About absence making the heart grow fonder?" In response to the question the girl nodded, still watching Keitaro with curious violet eyes. "Well I've been thinking about it all, and I've realised something. Time kills. It eventually ends everything, no matter how big or small......I've spent a lot of time waiting for her, but I don't want to waste any more on someone who might never make up her mind. And......even if she suddenly decides she loves me, does that mean I'm going to spend my life waiting for the next moment she decides she's been insulted and tries to exact punishment? I don't want to live in fear of the next Naru-punch…..." His quiet voice trailing into nothingness, the man rubbed a resigned hand across his face, soft sigh puncturing the air as he did so.

"Do you mean…"

"When you told me who was on the phone, I was scared. Scared because I was afraid of what she'd say and do to me if she found us. Is that healthy?" Laughing humorously at his rhetorical question, Keitaro shook his head slowly. "I guess I'm realising…that some things just aren't meant to be. What sort of masochist loves someone who threatens their life every day? It's over, Shinobu-chan. The sooner I admit it, the sooner I can get over it and move on with my life."

For a long second, no-one breathed.

Then, Shinobu gasped as everything she'd locked within her erupted all at once. Hope flared like a sun, the mist which had kept the kindling damp and the match unlit evaporating beneath its intense gaze. Desires locked away in darkness were illuminated, unveiled by the light which shone irrepressibly into her soul. Self-built barriers collapsed, paths which were bathed in shadow now meandered until they met the blue-skied horizon. The chance she'd been praying for, dreaming of, had arrived.

Unfortunately, there was still a huge cloud threatening to move across the sun, one which could still blot out the light so completely that it may as well not even exist. The idea that she might lose the light so quickly after seeing it for what seemed like the first time scared her beyond belief.

It was at that moment Shinobu realised she had tears streaming down her face, and that Keitaro was crouched before her with obvious worry.

"Sorry." She said, withdrawing a tissue from stuff-space and dabbing at her cheeks gingerly.

"What's wrong Shinobu-chan?" Her friend asked, peering through his glasses with undisguised concern.

"It's nothing. Well, it isn't but….ah, give me a second…." Sniffling wetly, the slim girl swallowed and blinked her violet eyes clear, taking a deep composing breath as she did so. Prepared, she reached down and grasped Keitaro's hands, lifting them to her lap and squeezing them as if to reassure herself they were there.

"Shinobu-chan?" Puzzled, the bespectacled man saw Shinobu's shoulders square themselves, watched her head rise until she was looking at him eye-to-eye.

"Kei-kun, there's something I have to tell you, a secret I've been keeping for a long time……"

* * *

Su blinked in confusion at the barely-controlled chaos which was the Hinata-sou's lobby at seven in the morning. Bags were strewn about, and half-eaten breakfast (mostly toast, mostly burnt) was sat upon the table. Judging the large untouched stack to be hers, the Molmolian picked half a dozen slices off the top and began munching on them, wondering what was taking place.

She soon got her answer when Naru flew into the room, another fully packed bag under her arm and a half-slice of toast dangling from between her teeth. Setting the bags down the girl plucked the aforementioned bread from her mouth and smiled at Su, although it was the smile of someone skirting a little too close to the edge of sanity.

"Hi Su-chan. We're going on holiday this morning, so you'd better get packing."

"Holidays? Yay! Where to?" The girl replied, although she had a shrewd idea.

"Sapporo. We're going to meet Shinobu and Keitaro, turn it into a holiday for all of us." Naru took the Molmolian's brief silence as surprise, and gave the girl a gentle nudge in the direction of the stairs.

"Okies!" Hopping off towards her room, the wheels in Su's head spun frantically. Whatever had happened after she'd fallen asleep the night before had changed the situation completely, and there was little she could do to stop everyone travelling cross-country. So, the question was what she could do once she got there…..deciding she needed to write her family a letter, the girl redoubled her speed, knowing she had much to do in a short time.

Meanwhile, in the lobby Naru took a swig of tea, grimacing in displeasure as the now tepid liquid washed across her tongue. Slamming the cup down, the student turned as the tall figure of Motoko paced towards her, effortlessly carrying a suitcase in her left hand and her sword in her right.

"All set Motoko-san?"

"Yes, Naru-san. I passed Su on the stairway; I take it she is coming also?"

"She seems up for it. We can hardly leave her here on her own, can we?"

"No, that would be unfair. However, I still would like to know how we came to be watching an old recording yesterday – it is unlike Su to make such a mistake." The swordsmistress solemnly intoned, gazing in the direction of Su's room.

"Maybe she got her cameras mixed up?" Naru suggested, bending down to rearrange her bags. "She does overlook the obvious."

"Possibly. All the same, I would like to continue keeping her off-balance just in case she has something to do with all this. I doubt Keitaro or Shinobu have the resources to do all they have done unaided."

"I think you're over-analysing things." Straightening up again, Naru cast an irritated glance towards the stairs. "Where the heck is Kitsune? You did remind her she doesn't have to pack her whole wardrobe didn't you Motoko-san? Motoko-san?" Receiving no reply, the older girl glanced back to see her friend's olive eyes wide as the Gulf of Mexico, her mouth apparently fixed in some sort of silent stammer. Wondering why Motoko looked like she'd just licked her fingers and stuck them into a mains socket, Naru turned and took in the sight of an elegant white crane perched upon the coat stand beside the front door.

Yes, a crane was an unusual sight to see within the Hinata-sou, but not really worthy of the reaction her fellow resident was displaying. As she moved to ask Motoko if she was alright, Naru jumped as the other girl suddenly flew into action, gathering bags while calling for Mitsune with an unusually urgent edge to her voice.

"Motoko-san, what's going on?"

"Naru-san, we have to leave now!" Quite forcefully handing the honey-haired girl her bag, Motoko moved to hurry upstairs, presumably to collect the more slowly moving residents.

"Why?"

"Because – "

"Good morning Imoutosan." The calm voice coming from the doorway stopped Motoko dead in mid-step. Slowly the girl turned around, while Naru looked back and forth between the young swordsmistress and the older but almost identical figure stood on the threshold of the Hinata-sou.

"Oh, good morning to you too Oneesan." Clearing her throat and attempting to look like she wasn't caught in the act of running away, Motoko extended a trembling hand towards the woman stepping into the lounge. "Naru-san, may I introduce you to my older sister, Tsuruko Aoyama….."

* * *

Well, that's all for now.

Please leave feedback – I do want to know if this is worth working on further or not.

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	9. Chapter 9

Hi there, it's Nodoka here.

I wasn't sure before the last chapter if this fic had any life in it – but the response I got from everyone who reviewed and contacted me was......stunning. I had no idea that readers were enjoying the fic to the degree that they indicated. I'm not one to ask for reviews, but when you put in a lot of work and get little feedback it does make writing difficult – so getting a personal best number of reviews for a chapter really did make my day.

In fact, it made my month.

After a response like that, there's no question that I'm going to continue working on this fic. I've got some exams coming up (I still wonder why I became a doctor – it's one of the few jobs where you have to sit numerous exams a long time after you've qualified) so updates might be a little slow, but I fully intend to work on this whenever I have two seconds to rub together.

Thanks to all those who reviewed, especially a few people who gave very thoughtful and insightful reviews – I really do want to make the best fic I can, and such feedback is invaluable. Also massive thanks to Rachel, my precious beta who helped to see the mistakes I could not.

Enough chatter for now, on with the fic.

* * *

Parallel Lives – Chapter 9

* * *

Keitaro blinked slowly in surprise, before allowing his deep brown eyes to focus again on the girl sat before him. If it had been anyone else, or in any other situation, he would have been awaiting the punch line.

However, at this moment in time, the man would've believed Shinobu if she'd told him the world was flat.

"You….you mean you're not fourteen?"

"Sixteen and a half." Shinobu replied, honesty clear in her voice.

"But….." Scouring his mind for some sort of reason for the girl's deception, Keitaro searched for what seemed like hours and still came up empty. "But why?"

"It's easier that way." Sighing softly Shinobu let her head drop, violet hair washing across her face. "Kei-kun, I need you to promise me what I say won't leave this room. I don't want anyone else to know, not unless I tell them myself."

"I promise." Keitaro replied, squeezing the hands he still held in emphasis.

"Okay, well…..you see, I'm not quite your everyday girl. I've got a problem, one I was born with, which means I don't have the normal hormones which normally cause certain…..parts of my body to grow. The result is me, a young woman in a girl's body." Shinobu said tentatively, still gazing at her lap and the hands intertwined upon it. "It's called Turner's syndrome, and there's no cure – you're just born that way. There are treatments which help a bit; they've taken me to this point otherwise I'd be even smaller, more like an eleven-year-old." She finished despondently, feeling liquid collecting in the corners of her violet eyes as she laid herself bare for her heart's desire to inspect.

"Shinobu-chan, why did you cover it all up?" A gentle voice asked, its owner still knelt only inches away.

"It was just so easy. When word got around a few years ago, I was torn to shreds by my so-called friends in school; I dropped out for almost two years, and couldn't face going back. I was sent to the Hinata-sou to get away from everything and make a fresh start – as I was going to be two years behind everyone else, it made sense to say I was the same age as my new classmates; being the same age meant no difficult questions. The last thing I wanted was for the truth to come out - I couldn't take the loneliness, not again." Shinobu breathed, turning one of her hands palm-up and staring down at a faint line marring her wrist.

Judging by the catch in Keitaro's breathing he had also seen the scar, and arrived at the correct conclusion.

"But…..didn't you think it would be easier if you told someone? Just to help you from time to time?" He replied, easing up and taking a seat beside the slightly trembling girl who leaned instinctively into the warmth of his shoulder.

"Su knows, nothing gets past her. Haruka too, my parents told her. But I couldn't go and tell people myself, I just couldn't. Not after everything that happened." Voice barely above a whisper, Shinobu let her eyes drift closed as a warm arm wrapped around her waist.

"In that case, I'm honoured to be the first." Keitaro murmured, burying his nose in the girl's hair and inhaling gently.

"I trust you Kei-kun."

"Thanks."

A few moments of comfortable silence passed, the pair apparently happy to enjoy the comfort of one another, until Shinobu raised her head a fraction and glanced up at her friend.

"Kei-kun, what do you….think of me? Now you know about everything, I mean." She asked, hesitancy obvious.

"It doesn't change anything Shinobu-chan. I still care for you." Keitaro answered easily.

"I-I mean, uh, well…..oh, forget it." Sinking back into silence, Shinobu found a pair of dark irises regarding her in puzzlement.

"What?"

"It's nothing. Really." Seeing the eyes narrow a fraction, Shinobu realised her denials were fooling no-one. "Look, it was a pointless question. I'll always be just a girl, so there's no point asking if you could ever see me as anything more."

For a long moment Keitaro blinked slowly at her, bemusement being slowly replaced by something the girl couldn't really define, but whatever it was added a tint of colour to her friend's cheeks.

"I……wouldn't say that, Shinobu-chan." He eventually murmured, looking away as he did so.

"What?" As she watched one of the man's hands reached around to scratch the back of his head, a bashful chuckle forcing its way out of his mouth.

"I mean, well, I have noticed. That you're a woman I mean. I didn't want to, I thought you were fourteen for goodness sake, and while it's not illegal here it's still not widely approved of. That's why I didn't want to share a room with you – I was getting more aware of your…female-ness than I wanted to be." Slowly guilty eyes looked up again, Keitaro's face growing more and more scarlet by the second.

Shinobu was, in a word, stunned.

"You...but I…I'll never be a real woman, not like the others. I haven't got anything to offer, not really." She stumbled, almost catatonic with shock.

"Don't say that Shinobu-chan, it's not true."

"Yes it is!" Bringing her hands up the violet-haired girl swept them along the length of her body, snorting in derision as she did. "I'm stuck like this forever; I'll never have Kitsune's chest or Naru's figure. What is there to like?! Why would anyone be interested in me, someone who has all the curves of an ironing board? Someone who'll never be able to have children."

"Children?" Keitaro frowned as Shinobu's ire vanished like a fugitive in the night. Slumping over, the girl let out a long sigh belonging to someone much, much older.

"Yeah. Another effect of my condition – nothing down there works like it's meant to. I'll never be pregnant; it's just impossible. What can I offer to someone, Kei? I've got nothing worth having, and nothing to give….." What was undeniably a sob shook Shinobu's diminutive frame, followed rapidly by several more as she gave in to her tears.

"Shinobu, please listen to me!" Gasping the girl firmly by her shoulders, Keitaro stared desperately into the glistening eyes before him. "I told you I was starting to feel attracted to you, despite the age difference, despite the confusion in my life. I wasn't lying, and what you've said doesn't change anything at all – you're still Shinobu, and I love you."

"Love?" Shinobu's mind, moments ago awash with confusion and angst, instantly went blank as the word echoed endlessly within her.

"Yeah. What that means I don't know, everything's happening so quickly. All I do know is the last few days have been some of the best I've ever had, and it's because I've shared them with you. So never say you've got nothing to give; you're you, and that's worth much more than I could ever say." Keitaro finished with the utmost certainty, breathing heavily as if exhausted by the weight of his words.

The violet eyes which gazed into his still glistened, but no longer with water born from bitterness.

"Auuuu, Kei….." Suddenly feeling like she was floating Shinobu sank bonelessly into Keitaro's chest, blissful smile in place.

"I've grown very…..fond of you in a very short time Shinobu-chan. But I can't go jumping into anything now, that'd be wrong for both of us." Nervously, the bespectacled man waited for some sort of explosive reaction to his admission. When the only response was the feeling of a head nodding against his chest, he released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "All I want to do is just spend time with you, like the last few days, and see what happens. If it turns out to be the real thing, well…..time will tell."

"I understand." Inhaling the now familiar scent of the man in whose grasp she resided, Shinobu felt tears continue to slip between her closed eyelids, tears which were absorbed by the T-shirt her face rested against. To hear someone say that he saw her as a woman and not the girl she thought herself to be, to know someone loved her and wanted to give her a chance…..

Glancing down at the sound of soft snoring, Keitaro felt himself smile at the sight of his friend comatose in his grasp, her head cushioned against his chest. Carefully settling the sleeping form down on the bed, Keitaro decided that the girl had the right idea and hurriedly changed into more suitable attire, hoping all the while that his room-mate would remain asleep as he did so.

Within minutes, a second set of snores joined the first.

* * *

Mitsune glanced around the table, trying to get her still sleepy mind around what was going on. It had been a surprise, one she wasn't sure was pleasant, to find two Motokos waiting for her once she'd responded to the annoyingly persistent calls which had hurried her from her bedroom. Soon afterwards, once she'd been handed a cup of fresh tea and a chair, she'd been introduced to who she now knew to be Tsuruko Aoyama.

The fox had instantly recognised her as someone to not piss off. _Ever._

Once the last resident had landed in the lobby with her radio-controlled suitcase and a bunch of bananas, Tsuruko had decided to explain the reasons behind her visit. What she said was more than enough to bring Mitsune to full wakefulness, whether she liked it or not.

"You mean you want Motoko-san to go back to Kyoto with you?" Naru gaped, the tea she'd been lifting to her lips forgotten.

"Indeed. It is time she took her place at the head of the school." The elder Aoyama had calmly replied, silken black hair shimmering as she nodded.

"B-but Oneesan, I am not yet ready...." Motoko protested, face pale.

"I believe you are." Eyeing her sister coolly, Tsuruko allowed a single hand to rest upon the hilt of her sword. "A person's harshest critic is often themselves, Imoutosan. As one who has trained countless others in the art of our school, I feel I am best placed to judge when an individual is 'ready', as you put it."

"But - "

"My decision is made, Imoutosan. I feel you can progress no further in your current surroundings, it is time to return and fulfil the role you were born to play."

"Tsuruko-san, please. Motoko-san is like a sister to us." Naru interjected on her friend's behalf, standing as she did so.

A glance from Tsuruko instantly had her back in her seat.

"Like a sister you say? Need I remind anyone here that Motoko-san is, in fact, actually a sister of mine?" Re-tuning her attention to the girl in question, the elder Aoyama frowned minutely. "Imoutosan, I sense reluctance on your part. Could it be that you do not wish to become a leader of the Shinmei-ryu?"

"No! No, I-I do wish to take up the position, only not now......" Even Motoko's own ears found her pleas completely unconvincing. Needless to say, her elder sister did too.

"Not now? Is it not said that 'there is no time like the present'?" Placing both elbows deliberately upon the table, Tsuruko sat her chin atop her inter-folded hands and gazed at her sister with hawkish intensity. "If I remember correctly, your reason for coming here was to gain knowledge of the workings of the everyday civilian world, in order to make you a more rounded person. In truth, Imoutosan, it has simply made you soft."

Motoko really wanted to stammer out a denial, but her suddenly arid mouth wouldn't allow her to form words. Sensing the gavel about to fall, the Kendoist frantically scanned the room for some sort of escape. It was on her third pass that the girl realised what she wasn't seeing, or more specifically _who._

Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind.

Now, in the days to follow Motoko would wonder what on earth possessed her to tell such a stupid lie, or how on earth she'd imagined she could possibly pull off the act required to make Tsuruko believe her.

However, in the heat of the moment, even a burning rope is something to hold on to.

"So, will you come with me Motoko-san?" Laying a hand upon the hilt of her blade in an undisguised threat, the older Aoyama levelled a glare at her sister. "Or must I...make you come, whether you will it so or not."

"I cannot." The blurted statement drew surprised looks from all those sat around the table, excepting Su who was playing the 'happily oblivious' card.

"Oh?" Raising an elegant eyebrow, Tsuruko couldn't prevent a hint of dryness permeating her words. "What is it that is of significant enough importance to delay your inheritance of the school, yet unimportant enough to have escaped mention until now?" As her sister's sardonic smile grew Motoko threw a glance at Naru, who was presently picking up a fresh slice of toast covered generously with raspberry jam and looking quite interested in what she had to say. Sending her friend a silent apology, the reluctant heiress took a deep breath.

"I.....am betrothed to be married."

The collective gasp which echoed around the table almost made Motoko wince. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Naru freeze, the toast still an inch from her already open mouth.

"I see." The tone of Tsuruko's voice indicated she quite clearly didn't. "Why is it that this is the first you have spoken of such a joyful turn of events?"

"I wished to inform the entire family at the same time, it is a relatively.....new development."

"Hmmmm. Well, may I enquire as to the identity of the lucky man?" Glancing once more at Naru from the corner of her eye, Motoko mentally crossed her fingers.

"His name is Urashima Keitaro."

This time, the collective gasp from around the table was joined by the sound of a slice of toast landing jam-side down on the table. Risking another glance at her honey-haired friend, Motoko saw the girl with her mouth still ajar but fingers now empty, looking at her as if she'd grown a second head. Praying to whichever god would listen that Naru would stay mute for the remainder of the conversation, the younger Aoyama returned her full attention to her older sister.

"Keitaro? As in the manager of this boarding house?" Tsuruko said slowly, as if tasting each word.

"The very same."

"The Keitaro you have repeatedly identified in your communications with me as a pervert and lecher of the lowest order?" This time, Motoko couldn't help but wince.

"I have come to understand that I have misjudged his character. In fact, he is a good and honest man, albeit one who is clumsy and prone to error." She ground out, unsure if the words stung because they were lies or bitter truths finally acknowledged.

"Quite a sudden change in perspective." Tsuruko commented idly, still not letting her attention waver.

"The truth can alter people in the space of a moment, can it not Oneesan?"

"Yes. The truth, when it comes to light, can often be wonderful. Unfortunately, it can just as often be terrible..." The elder sister purred, voice almost freezing the tea sitting patiently in the cup before her. Motoko shuddered despite herself as the barely veiled threat chilled her inside and out, it's meaning clear.

_I uncover your lies and your life is over, Motoko-chan._

"So!" Sitting back and smiling as if she hadn't spoken with the voice of Death Himself seconds ago, Tsuruko joyfully clapped her hands together. "Where is the man in question? I will enjoy...examining the one who is to marry the heir to the Shinmei-ryu, and become my brother-in-law. Can you summon him, Imoutosan?"

"Uh no, I cannot at present." The younger Aoyama tried her best not to whither at the sight of a raised eyebrow from her elder sister. It was amazing what a simple facial gesture could do in the right hands – had Keitaro tried it she would in all likelihood have punctured a lung laughing.

In Tsuruko's hands it was effective as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting right to the bone without a hint of effort.

"How very odd. I would have thought that a man such as Keitaro would have been present, especially given the relative infancy of his engagement." Leaning forwards again, the swordsmistress gave the reluctant figure opposite a beaming smile. "Pray tell, what is the reason for his departure? Not trouble in paradise so soon, I hope?"

"No Oneesan, it is slightly...complicated." Searching frantically, Motoko eventually settled on the truth. Or as close as she could while it still worked, anyway. "He has always sought to enter Tokyo University, and much to his credit has done so this year. However, due to an unfortunate incident, he has sustained an injury which will impair his ability to attend, to the point where he will be unable to complete the first year on this occasion. This has caused him much distress, and he has left in order to gather his thoughts. As a matter of fact, the disarray you see around you is us about to join him."

"Well, I apologise for delaying you at such a time. In fact, I shall atone for doing so." Plucking a phone from apparently nowhere, the elegant woman punched in a number and put it to her ear. "Hello, -san? I have a request, to return home via the station. Is that possible? Yes, four plus luggage. Very well, I will be down in five minutes."

"Tsuruko-san?" Mitsune queried, puzzled as the impromptu guest hung up.

"I have a rather luxurious vehicle parked at the foot of the stairs, one which is driven by a member of the Aoyama estate. We can quite comfortably accommodate all of you plus your luggage; I expect my unanticipated arrival would cause you to otherwise miss your train." Tsuruko explained, much to the pleasure of three of those present.

"It is fine Oneesan, you don't have to do that -" Motoko's protests were dismissed with a waved hand.

"I wish to. Besides, the sooner you depart, the sooner you will return with my future brother-in-law." Gesturing towards the door to the Hinata-sou, Tsuruko stood. "Now, I shall meet you at the foot of the stairs as I wish to converse with Haruka prior to departure. I will expect you within the quarter hour." Ignoring the further paling of the face opposite her, the slim lady stood and without another word walked out into the fine spring morning.

The Hinata-sou's residents looked at one another. Or to be more precise, three of them looked at the fourth resident, who was currently examining the table.

"Okay girls, let's not look this gift horse in the mouth." Mitsune eventually said, rising from her seat and clapping her hands. "Our ride's waitin' downstairs, let's make use of it....."

* * *

".....Did she really?" Picking the usual lit cigarette from its usual position between her lips and exhaling, Haruka Urashima gazed steadily at the figure stood before her. "So, why are you asking me? What do you want me to say?"

"Urashima-san, you are an intelligent woman and hence I have no doubt you have made that deduction on your own." Tsuruko replied politely, eyes equally steady.

"I have. I also know that you, as an intelligent woman yourself, do not need me to confirm what you already know." Shrugging idly and replacing the smouldering tobacco stick, the tea-shop owner turned to look at the staircase speculatively. "What interests me more is why you are letting the charade go on. There is no need to make your...wayward younger sister run half-way across the country on a wild goose chase; if you wanted to, you could bundle her into your car and take her home right now."

"That I could. But it would be detrimental in the greater scheme of things, of that I am sure."

"So you're going to put my cousin and Shinobu in the firing line for your own benefit?" Shooting the Aoyama a narrow-eyed glance, Haruka's teeth tightened around the cigarette. "Motoko's fuse is already burning, and I know how explosive the bomb it's connected to can be. If she harms one hair on Keitaro's head, there will be bloodshed. Not just hers, either."

"That is why I am speaking with you now. I trust you will share this information with Keitaro so they can plan accordingly?" The nod Tsuruko received clearly told her the woman beside her wasn't convinced. "I wish to turn this into a learning experience – Motoko needs to see that her actions have consequences. If I were to force her to return with me now it illustrates a lack of trust, and additionally she would resent the manner of her return. If on the other hand her desperate ploy does not bear fruit, then she has to face me with the knowledge of her lies. She will understand her need to seek penance, and almost gratefully become head of the school in order to work off her debt. She will soon grow to love the position herself, I have no doubt."

"I see." In truth, the plan made sense. However, that didn't change one simple fact. "I still don't like the way you're putting Keitaro and, as a result, Shinobu at risk."

"I will admit, there is a secondary benefit from allowing Motoko to follow her mistake to its completion. In order to have a chance of making it work, she will have to learn to adapt both her thinking and her actions. More specifically, towards men." Tsuruko conceded, inclining her head gently.

"Oh?"

"Even now Motoko will be trying to fit into her role as betrothed to Keitaro, which means she'll have to address some of her preconceptions. At the very least, I hope that she will come to acknowledge how misguided she has been. On the other hand she may find the role very much to her liking – to the point where she wants to make it permanent." At the sight of Haruka's raised eyebrows behind a stream of cigarette smoke, the elder Aoyama gave her a slow smile. "You never know, Urashima-san."

"I'm not going to bet my Tea House on it, Aoyama-san." Returning the smile with a sly grin of her own, Haruka leaned easily against the wall of the Hinata tea-house. "All the same, it would mean having interesting in-laws."

"Imagine inheriting _your_ mother as a relative." Tsuruko pointed out mildly.

"Fair point." Tapping some ash from the end of her almost spent cigarette, Haruka nodded towards the staircase. "Anyway, they're on their way down. Anything else you want to mention?"

"Nothing comes to mind. Just please advise Keitaro and Shinobu of the goings on so they can make plans, although it is your decision whether to inform them of Motoko's claims or not."

"I'll see if I fancy a laugh at the time."

"I imagine you might." Turning to regard the case-laden group stumbling towards the foot of the stairway, Tsuruko stepped away from her co-conspirator. "I expect we will meet again soon Urashima-san."

"Seems likely." Haruka acknowledged, pulling the now expired tobacco roll from between her lips and grinding the butt into the ground with a pointed foot.

"Farewell for now." Taking a pace towards the ragtag mob who had just alighted at the bottom of the stairs, Tsuruko nodded at them. "Your transport is parked at the side of the road, ladies. Would you care to follow me?" Without waiting for agreement the tall woman turned and swept away, the residents of the Hinata-sou lagging behind her thanks to Mitsune's decision to pack her entire wardrobe.

As the group passed out of sight Su, who was hopping along at the back of the bunch apparently without a care in the world, paused and looked around in an exaggerated manner. Apparently satisfied the coast was clear, the little Molmolian spun on a sixpence and stared back at Haruka. A wicked smile, a wink and a pair of elevated thumbs later (ones Haruka returned) Su was on her way again while the tea-house owner slipped back into her shop with a satisfied grin.

Su was on the case, so there was nothing for her to worry about.

She hoped.

* * *

Shinobu sighed as she drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping hands which refused to keep still around them in the hope of curing their incessant wandering. Violet eyes darted around the room, taking in everything from the clock announcing a time which was way too late to be awake at to the mini-bar which neither she or her room-mate had had the bravery to investigate yet.

Yes, they had the fortunes of Molmol bankrolling their holiday. But even the wealth of a nation couldn't stand up against the cost of using a mini-bar.

At this point in time, Shinobu mused, she should have been either blissfully asleep or blissfully awake – just blissful in some way, and for good reason. One, she'd untied the albatross, removed the millstone – use whatever analogy you like, but after releasing the burden which had polluted her life she would expect to feel relief at least.

Two, the person who had taken it from her didn't seem to be affected. The thought of having anyone look at her differently – be it out of pity, amusement or disgust – was one of the things she hated, and why the secret stayed, well, secret. Wanting to be Shinobu, not 'that poor girl' or 'the freak' as some of her school 'friends' had snidely dubbed her.....the labels stung like sunburn, chafed like a hairshirt she didn't ask to wear. By the time she trusted her friends in the Hinata-sou enough to tell them, she loved them too much to endure the pity that she believed would follow.

However, the one she'd chosen to tell showed no sign that he would react the same way. In fact, that was the third and biggest reason Shinobu should have been floating away on cotton wool clouds towards some tropical paradise.

Keitaro liked her.

As in _liked_.

The actually-not-youngest-resident of the Hinata-sou wasn't a fool. Keitaro had a lot of thinking to do now he knew the truth. Firstly about the fact a relationship was now relatively acceptable, both in his eyes and the eyes of society. For forbidden fruit to suddenly lose its prohibited name, and what was probably a wistful dream to become a reality.....it took time, especially given the facts he now knew. All the same, it was clear to Shinobu that despite the sudden shift in circumstances Keitaro was keen to give them a chance. A real chance, one he wanted to work as much as she did.

This was far, far more than violet-ette had hoped for in her wildest dreams.

So why was Shinobu not either blissfully asleep or blissfully awake?

The phone call from Haruka Urashima was why.

It was time she needed, that she craved. And now, it was time she was being denied.

The news that the remainder of the Hinata-sou was already travelling cross-country had brought the girl back down to earth more quickly and heavily than gravity ever could. Suddenly the approaching weeks of one-to-one time with her beloved were evaporating like pages torn from a calendar. She could tell that Keitaro was far from delighted at the news himself, given the way he'd stiffened when he'd been informed. At the end of the call Haruka had reassured them that Su was going to be pulling strings, and asked for their hotel and room number to pass on while telling them to stay put.

So, Shinobu sat on her bed drinking in the room where her life had changed forever, etching each feature into her memory in case it was the last night she would stay there.

Sapporo was a big city, but with three people on the case, the fact that there were only so many lodgings in the town and the knowledge of the area from which the phone calls had been made.....it would only be a matter of time. Motoko was intelligent and could spot a lie from ten paces, Mitsune knew how to wrap men around her little finger and Naru would make a fine and genuine actress – between them, they could go through the likely locations in a matter of days. The pair's first thought had been to leave their current lodgings quickly, and maybe Sapporo altogether, but Haruka's advice and the cost had put that option down the list.

"Why do you think Haruka told us to stay here?" Keitaro asked, resting his back against the wall as he lounged on the bed, plaster-clad leg splayed out before him.

"Don't know. Hope we find out before we're found out." Shinobu replied, releasing the hands looped around her knees and leaning back until her torso met against his. Sighing again, but this time in contentment, the girl relaxed in her position – sat as she was between Keitaro's legs with her back cushioned comfortably upon his chest.

Maybe life wasn't _quite_ as bad as she'd thought it was.

"Well, Su did get us here. We'd have been pinned down by the time we'd reached the bottom of the steps without her. Let's hope she's got the answers.....besides, if we are found, it doesn't mean we can't spend time together and see what happens. It'll just be less......pleasant than doing it this way." Keitaro murmured, unknowingly sending shivers through his friend's body as his breath whispered into her ear.

"Mmmm-hmmmm." It wasn't clear if Shinobu was expressing agreement or pleasure, but as she seemed to almost melt into his grasp Keitaro realised he didn't care either way.

In truth, the ex-Ronin was still fearful of what would take place if Naru caught up with them, but not like he was before. Although the chance of injury was still there, what the girl had to say to him didn't matter quite as much as it once did. Before she had the power to decide his future, but now.....

Keitaro glanced down at the top of a Violet-coloured head with a soft smile, one that had never graced his face before the last three days. Now, he had someone. Who she would turn out to be he couldn't say for sure, but the man knew that Naru wasn't the most important person in his life any longer.

That place belonged to a diminutive wallflower that was far more than she seemed to be.

"Let's just be happy with what we've got. For one we've got a room, which our friends are probably looking for right now." Shinobu pointed out, glancing at the late hour glowing from the display of the alarm clock.

"True. It's really bad luck that the weather's turned ugly though." Keitaro replied, not sounding particularly sympathetic.

"Yeah." As if in emphasis the wind drove a fresh wave of raindrops against the window, the pattering adding an extra layer of cosiness to the already cosy room.

"And....I suppose that even if we end up going back, we'll always have this room. No-one can take this away from us."

"......" Realising her throat wouldn't allow her to speak, Shinobu simply rested back and closed her eyes, briefly letting her mind wonder where her housemates were at that moment in time.

Within seconds, she was asleep.

Blissfully.

* * *

At that moment in time the aforementioned housemates were not, in fact, in the rain.

They were, however, very wet.

"Stupid rain, stupid train, stupid Sapporo!" Naru thundered, throwing her soggy bags onto the bed, looking thoroughly annoyed. "Whose idea was this ridiculous trip anyway?"

"Yours, Naru-chan." Mitsune replied dryly, following her friend into the room. "Hey, you'd better shift those bags pronto else we'll be sleepin' in wet sheets tonight."

"I'm past caring." Spying a semi-comfortable looking chair Naru flung herself into it, growling as her heavily sodden hair gave her a wet slap in the face as she did.

"Trust me, when we've had a shower you'll be glad to sleep somewhere dry." Dropping her own bags in the corner of the room, the older girl retrieved her friend's bags from their resting place upon the double bed and placed them down as well. "Speakin' of which, ya want first go in the shower?"

"If you don't mind."

"Sure, go ahead." Watching her bedraggled friend slope towards the bathroom and nudge the door open as she stripped her soaked shirt from her torso, Mitsune shook her head silently. Deciding to do something about her own rather wet clothing, the fox began to peel her clothing off with a shudder. By the time she was down to her tights the sound of running water began emanating from the bathroom, followed instantly by a half-muted shriek.

"Water cold, Naru-chan?" Mitsune called with a smirk, listening to the rumble of annoyed muttering as the tap was abruptly shut off.

"You can wipe that smile I know you're wearing off your face." Came the reply as the sound of water resumed, followed by a contented sigh a few seconds later.

"Better?"

"Yeah."

"Cool." Rooting through her bag, Mitsune withdrew a bath sheet pilfered from the hot springs and, after some rearrangement of her hair, tied it around her scalp. Plucking another out the slim woman unclasped her bra and slid her lacy red two-piece off before wrapping herself firmly in the towel. Glancing in the mirror hanging upon the wall (and giving herself nine out of ten) the fox sat on the side of the bed and swung her slim legs up to join her. Running a hand along one of them and deciding that she could go without shaving that night she picked up the remote control sat on the bedside table, clicked on the tiny television residing on the desk opposite and proceeded to idly flick through the channels. Eventually she settled on one showing a random film – what film she didn't know – but the washboard stomach and massive pectorals of the topless man currently displayed on screen was more than enough to make it interesting.

Six foot of sculpted testosterone was unquestionably 'interesting' in Mitsune's book.

"Anything good on?" Naru called, picking up on the tinny sounds coming from the speakers.

"I'd say." Her room-mate replied, silver eyes focussing intensely.

"If you're watching another dodgy film, it'd better be off by the time I get out there." Chuckling at the warning Mitsune switched ends on the bed, rolling onto her stomach and propping her chin on her hands to allow her a better view of the well-built actor who was presently doing chin-ups in the midst of a training montage for something-or-other, the rippling of muscle accompanied by the inevitable energetic up-tempo soundtrack.

"Trust me Naru-chan, you'll enjoy this too."

"That I doubt." For some time the fox forgot she was in a hotel room miles from home, until Naru's voice threatened to disturb her viewing pleasure. "Kitsune-chan, can you tell me what the hell was going on earlier?"

"Hmmmm?" Given the fact the male lead was now sat under a waterfall (still shirtless, now wearing little else) someone could have fired a gun six inches from Mitsune's ear and she wouldn't have blinked.

"Kitsune-chan?"

"Hang on a second....." Watching transfixed as the close-up of water rushing across tan skin trailed on longer than was strictly necessary, Mitsune eventually grunted in disappointment as the scene changed to display a bikini-clad woman who appeared to be creeping through some undergrowth. Turning the sound down, the fox dropped the controller to her side and rested her head on one hand. "You were sayin'?"

"I asked you what was going on this morning Kitsune-chan." Naru called, annoyance obvious in her voice.

"Watch your volume Naru-chan. Motoko's only next door you know." Mitsune called back in warning, glancing back at the TV in case the half-dressed heart-throb had snuck back on screen without her knowledge.

"Yeah yeah, it's fine, she won't hear us. So, what do you think then?"

"'Bout Motoko?" Rolling onto her back, Mitsune stared at nothing in particular. "I dunno what she was thinkin', sayin' that. Probably wasn't thinkin' at all, just panicked an' grabbed at the first idea she had."

"Didn't she realise what she was doing was crazy? There's no way it can ever work – she can't stand Keitaro, and even if she _could_ she still couldn't be with him. He's already spoken for."

'_Spoken for? By who, Naru-chan?' _Mitsune mused with a loud snort. _'He's not spoken for, you're just speaking for him.....'_

"What was that Kitsune-chan?" Obviously picking up the noise, Naru sounded a little annoyed. "I don't remember saying anything funny."

"Nothin'......" For a second the fox considered voicing the thoughts she was rolling around in her head until the words her friend had said came back into focus. To her surprise she found herself snarling at the bad taste they were leaving in her mouth.

Naru was in no position to start getting arrogant. Arrogance had created the mess, and could only make it worse.

"Actually, there is somethin'." Licking her lips and taking a deep breath, Mitsune took the plunge. "Motoko might not like the guy much, but I wouldn't say he's taken."

The sound of water cascading was the only noise from the bathroom, leaving the silver-blond to wonder (and secretly hope) her words had gone unheard. That was until.....

"What?!" The sound of puzzled annoyance echoed from the open doorway.

"I said, I don't think he's 'spoken for', as you put it." Hearing the water stop and a curtain being thrown back, Mitsune cringed. "_I swear, the position 'Naru's friend' should come with free life insurance." _She muttered, counting the seconds until the aforementioned girl came storming into the room.

She got as far as two.

"What do you mean by that Kitsune?!" Naru growled, fisted hands on towel-clad hips as she glared at her friend in a way which may have led to bladder dysfunction if it were directed towards a certain scruffy-haired Ronin.

"I meant what I said." The older girl replied steadily, hoping Naru couldn't hear her heart thumping from three feet away.

"That Keitaro doesn't belong to anyone? Don't be ridiculous!"

"Naru-"

"I mean we're here to bring him back, right? And who are we here to bring him back _for?_" Naru stormed, not-so-subtly seething as she towered over her friend.

Something inside Mitsune snapped.

"Naru-chan, get it through your thick head. Right now, he belongs to no-one, 'cause far as I remember a certain girl didn't make him hers. In fact, she went so far as to blank his profession of love and erase him from existence for the next month! Pardon me if I don't think that counts as a marriage proposal!" Slipping off the bed, Mitsune stood eye-to-eye with her suddenly frozen friend. "It's time someone read you the riot act. Sit."

"B-but..."

"I said _sit._" Pushing her friend none-too-gently down onto the bed the silver fox unconsciously mimicked Naru's posture from seconds before, hands on hips and towering over her girl. "Now Naru-chan, let's go over this from the start, shall we? We haven't come here for you to claim your prize, we've come to give you half a chance to fix the massive bloody mess you've made before it's too late. The reason you're in the mess in the first place is 'cause you couldn't climb off your damn high-horse and show a bit of humility, and when you finally do its way, way too late. Now we've come hundreds of miles cross-country to give you a chance, and what do you do?You go an' saddle up again! Don't you get it? You. Have. No. Claim. On. Keitaro."

"He said he loved me....." Naru whimpered meekly, honey eyes fastened on the beige towel she was working between her fingers.

"I love sake, but would I marry it? Hell no - it tastes nice, but the next day all you've got is a headache. Matter of fact, that's all you've ever given him....." Seeing her friend wilt, the Fox sighed gently and sat down beside her. "Look, ya can't go assumin' you've got a divine right to someone just 'cause they like ya. No-one waits forever."

"......" Although Naru didn't speak, the soft pattering of water droplets falling upon a cotton-clad lap said more than enough.

"Motoko-chan was just grabbin' at straws. I dunno why she's so set against goin' back to her own home, but she must have some sorta reason for gamblin' like she did. She didn't do it to spite ya, that's for sure." Mitsune soothed, scooting closer to the girl as she did.

"I-I thought she was my friend, and she knows how I feel about Keitaro now......I can't believe she'd do that. Ride rough-shod over me, just because she wants to hide from her responsibilities. Goes to show how much friendship matters to her." Naru mumbled, leaning into Mitsune with a soft sigh.

"She still is your friend, Naru-chan. But she had a choice between saving face with her family, and staying in your good books. When the family involves dealing with a sword-wielding older sister who scares the living hell out of ya.....it was easier to defy you than her." Patting the younger girl's back gently, the fox glanced at the wall separating the pair from their housemates. "It's not gonna be much consolation, but I reckon you're still better off than she is."

"No, it's not." Sniffling gently, Naru managed a rather moist half-smile. "But thanks all the same. I needed someone to set me straight."

"Hey, no problem. Any time you need the stick removed from your ass, just say the word an' I'll grab the gloves." Mitsune's smirk was met with a long-suffering roll of the eyes from her younger friend.

"You didn't have to put it like_ that_, Kitsune-chan....."

* * *

Outside, Motoko Aoyama let the fist about to knock the door drop limply to her side. Staring at the number plate with empty olive eyes for a few long seconds, the swordsmistress eventually turned and paced slowly to the next room along, slipping through the still-open door and closing it with barely a sound.

* * *

Well, that's all for now.

Please leave feedback if you have the time, it really does help to keep me going. If you haven't got time, well, I hope you enjoyed what you've read all the same!

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, it's time for the next chapter. The last chapter, almost inevitably, caused quite a bit of divided opinion - something I expected, especially given the nature of the story. I didn't expect the almost vitriolic outburst which one kind reader provided; I don't know why the person reacted so strongly and atypically, but I suppose you can't please everyone all the time. If it's one less reader, then I can live with that.

What I do want to address is the fact some have suggested the twist to be too 'sudden' or 'contrived'. Shinobu's condition was a challenge I was asked to include in a fic by one of my close friends who wanted me to write about someone with the condition, and was one of the main reasons I wrote this piece. After repercussions and the hard time I gave Shinobu I really wanted to give her the chance to shine, and simply thought 'what if….she wasn't as young as she looked' - and the two ideas came together, and additionally it was something I'd never seen happen in this genre. So if that seems contrived, I apologise. However, I did do my best to foreshadow events which were to come - looking back I've come up with about twenty points which gave hints. Here are a few of the more obvious ones:

Chapter 1 - Shinobu eyeing herself in the mirror, displeasure at her childish figure

- 'Aren't you meant to be (too young) too?' - _Su to Shinobu_

Chapter 2 - 'I'm a bigger girl than any of you realise' -_ Shinobu_

- 'Ya never know, the girl might be becomin' a woman at last. It's takin' her a while, she's pretty much the same girl I first met here three years back, right down to her triple-A cups' -_ Mitsune_

Chapter 3 – 'You're not even fifteen yet Shinobu-chan.....and I don't think it's the right for me either....' - _Keitaro_

'....Yes, you're right. Well, half-right.' - _Shinobu_

Chapter 5 – This meant her 'Sempai' would find out a few things about her as well....

- Drawing the figure of the woman on the mirror, and standing confined within it, never quite reaching the outline

Chapter 7 – Shinobu's reaction when Keitaro describes her as 'beautiful'

Chapter 8 – (Shinobu) wanted to sound a strident and implacable adult, but all her ears heard were the whines of a pouting child.....

'She's had a tough life.....' - _Haruka_

- The cloud which could blot out the sun

I guess it's hard to draw these things together initially, but I think it's more obvious on re-reading. I didn't just drop Turners syndrome in as a plot device to make the numbers fit, and I hope that's more clear now.

Anyhow, enough rabbiting, on with the fic.

* * *

Parallel Lives - Chapter 10

* * *

Motoko glanced down at the snoring form of Kaolla Su, who was presently wrapped very snugly around her legs in the midst of a deep slumber. As she watched the younger girl visibly fidgeted in her sleep, giving the legs in her grasp an all-the-more tight squeeze before relenting as her facial muscles relaxed a few seconds later.

No such dreams for the youngest Aoyama.

It was the first chance the girl had had to reflect since she'd blurted out the most foolish words ever to escape her lips. It said a lot about the fear her sister inspired in her that it was only now she was really coming to appreciate how it was, in truth, the worst possible thing she could have done. For one, it chained her to a man possibly for eternity, a man who she had never professed anything more to than a belief in his inadequacies. Now she'd been forced to admit a few things, it was fair to say Keitaro was in no way the fool she'd always thought him to be. In fact, Motoko wasn't disgusted with the idea as she'd imagined herself to be - even sharing her home with a man was a bitter pill that took many, many months to swallow, so the idea of having to share something approaching intimacy…..it spoke volumes that she didn't feel the urge to vomit at the thought which should have filled her with revulsion.

That wasn't to say she didn't feel any revulsion.

But the revulsion she did feel was levelled purely and simply at herself. A moment of childish cowardice, and the future of at least three people could be the price.

Keitaro, with his almost masochistic desire to help others at any personal cost, would probably be willing to go along with the whole charade if she were to approach him and explain the situation. Despite the fact he owed her nothing, and the fact his heart belonged to someone else, the fool would almost definitely drop anything to help a friend in need.

Even if it was a price he would pay forever.

To divorce or betray an Aoyama – it just wasn't done, not if the individual wanted to continue living with all of their limbs attached. The moment she made her foolish declaration it had inexorably tied him to her, unless he was willing to risk the wrath of a clan of sword-wielding honour-obsessed martial artists. But for all the will in her body, Motoko simply couldn't choose to take the honest path.

Needless to say, this would have further implications.

Mostly surrounding Naru, especially after what she'd heard through the door she couldn't bring herself to knock. Her honey-haired friend was at least very _very _fond of Keitaro, but doing what she had had effectively ended any discussion before it could begin. If Keitaro were to agree to help, then he would be 'engaged' and any thoughts of seeing another woman would be seen as dishonourable – as a result he again would need to keep count of his limbs in case he should suddenly find one to be mislaid. After what Naru had said earlier that evening, taking Keitaro for her own means would affect her friend far more deeply and profoundly than the swordsmistress could have imagined before she'd become tangled up in the whole sordid affair.

Naru was right, she had sold her friends out. She had chosen her own freedom over the dreams of others.

And that was an ache which refused to diminish as the minutes ticked past.

Turning dulled olive eyes upon her sheathed blade which rested upon the table, Motoko found herself pondering exactly why she had reacted so strongly to the idea of returning to the home of her family, the home of her future. Surely, it should be the highest accolade a young swordsmistress could imagine, being made head of her school and champion of her art. Before arriving at the Hinata-sou, Motoko imagined she would've been both honoured and inspired by the decision that she should take up the mantle of leadership.

So what had changed? Had living in the Hinata-sou indeed, as her sister put it, made her 'soft'?

Reaching out a hand, the young woman let the tips of her fingers trace across the polished saya, almost mesmerised by the way the black lacquer gleamed beneath the milky moonlight which poured through the window and pooled around her most treasured possession.

The warrior, the blade.

One without the other was worth nothing.

The katana which was her raison d'etre, the centre of her existence. The most important thing in her life, something she had placed above all else almost from the moment she learned to walk. She could, if she so wished, split a falling blossom in two or take a single petal from a blooming flower with barely a thought. It was all she had, and all she knew until she moved to the Hinata-sou.

So why? Why the sudden reluctance to use the tool as it had always been intended?

Retracting the hand, Motoko almost jumped when a twitch of movement from her bed-mate reminded her where she was. Looking down at the top of a blonde-crowned head, the swordsmistress felt a smile ghost across her face as the Molmolian princess (who was presently using her legs as a substitute for a teddy-bear) muttered something in her sleep and shifted again, this time rolling onto her back and letting out a long snore towards the ceiling.

The hand which had traced across her katana with such tenderness reached down and gently scratched the top of Su's head with not an ounce less affection, eliciting a grumbling yawn in response. Regarding the younger girl in as she slept, Motoko silently wondered if she did indeed have something to do with the disappearance of Keitaro and Shinobu, and additionally the difficulties encountered since.

If she had, Motoko doubted she could possibly hold it against the little Molmolian for long.

* * *

It is often said that things look worse in the cold light of day.

Naru could wholeheartedly agree.

After she had calmed and regained some semblance of poise the night before, it had seemed to the young student that the worst was over. Yes, there was still a lot of looking to do, but at least they weren't searching through an entire country, right? And once they had found Keitaro, well, then she just had to be brave for once in her life. It wasn't that much of a task, was it?

It was only as the group of four, one lagging behind a touch with her normally focussed gaze conspicuously absent (and a foreign princess riding upon her back), strolled towards the apparent location of the mystery phone box that it began to dawn on her that things might not be so simple.

Sapporo was big. And there were more hotels, hostels and apartments than even the most avid stick-shaker could wave a branch at. It was almost a disappointment when the foursome happened across the telephone box – just a standard kiosk, something completely unremarkable and mundane.

After all the trouble they'd been through finding it, Naru thought there should have been a big banner reading 'GOAL' strewn across its door, at the very least. Even more disappointing was the absence of a hotel on its doorstep, one where a one-legged Kanrinin and his petite travelling companion might find shelter. No, it might not have been the actual place where they mystery couple were residing, but it would've been a start.

"Yep. This is it!" Su chirped, snapping a flashing device shut and silencing the increasingly insistent beeping which it had been emitting ever since the walk began.

"Finally. That thing was givin' me a headache." Poking her head inside the box, Mitsune glanced around. "Nah, nothin' interestin' in here. 'Cept.....what's this?" Leaning further in, the fox seemed to reach out for something. "A card for, hmmm, 'Mister Stretch'? Why's he called.....Ohhhhhhh, _that's _why."

"Anything in there Kitsune-chan?" Naru watched in puzzlement as her friend dissolved into a bout of dubious snickering, pocketing something as she did so.

"Nah, nothin' that would interest you Naru-chan." Straightening up, the tall woman glanced around her casually. "So, what do we do? It's all restaurants 'round here, so we're gonna have to start wanderin'."

"I've got the town guide from the station, it's got a list of the better places in here. I can't see Shinobu agreeing to stay at a dump, so there's a good chance it'll be one of them." Naru suggested, pulling a booklet from the bag she carried on one shoulder.

"I can't see Keitaro askin' her to." Mitsune put in, throwing her friend a cautioning look.

"I believe we should limit our search to a two-mile radius, at least at first." The quiet and precise voice of Motoko almost surprised her housemates – those being the first words she had spoken in public for the entire morning.

"Why? If they came here to eat, why would they need to be staying close by?" It was clear by the tone Naru used, being perhaps a little more annoyed than was necessary, that she wasn't exactly on the best of terms with her housemate. In response Motoko bowed her head minutely, as if acknowledging the girl's ire.

"Shinobu used the telephone here on successive nights, which indicates it is unlikely to be too far from her current place of residence." Came the logical answer. "I may not be correct, but it at least gives us something to begin with.

"Fair enough." Strolling over to her good friend, Mitsune looked over Naru's shoulder. "So, where do we start?"

"I reckon the south!" Su crowed from her perch upon Motoko's back, green eyes gleaming. "It's where the cheapest hotels are, I checked on-line before we came!" Mitsune and Naru exchanged a glance, eyebrows raised at what was a very sensible suggestion from Kaolla Su, while Motoko cast a curious glance back at her passenger but stayed silent. In truth she wanted to do the very opposite of what Su indicated; her intuition was again telling her something was wrong, and if her suspicions were true Su would be leading them away from their target – she wouldn't even be surprised if the Princess was bankrolling the whole affair, and allowing her friends the isolation they obviously sought.

But now was not the time to start theorising aloud. Her stock was low enough as it was.

"Sounds like a plan." Mitsune eventually agreed. "So, the big question is how do we do this?"

"What do you mean Kitsune-chan?"

"I mean, do we tour Sapporo as a foursome, or do we split up?"

The question hung in the air like a storm cloud. Naru couldn't help but stare at Motoko, who felt the heat of her gaze even as she directed hers towards the paving stones. Then, to Naru's relief (and Motoko's annoyance) someone else made the decision for them.

"Foursomes have more fun!" Su cheered, grin cheesy as the cheesiest cheese. "'Least that's what my dad always used to say....."

Cue a silence in which more than one imagination ran amok, much to their owners' embarrassment.

"Foursome it is. Besides - " Naru waved her handbook in the air, silently wishing her face would stop glowing. "- We only have one guide between us. There's no point wandering around at random." Inwardly the honey-haired girl breathed a sigh of relief. If Motoko had got to Keitaro first, and talked him into supporting her story.....at the very least Naru wanted to be there when she did, just to remind him what he would be walking away from.

"Right. Naru-chan, which way to the nearest place?" Mitsune asked, a knowing grin on her face.

"Uhhhh, if we take the next left there's a place just a hundred yards down the road." Her friend replied, pointing at a side-street only a few yards down the road.

"Cool." Linking her fingers, the fox cracked her knuckles in a show of readiness. "Let's go break up that love nest!"

"Mitsune-san, that sort of comment is not going to help when we do find them." Motoko chided gently, taking up her position behind her friends while juggling Su into a more comfortable position.

"Ah, I'm only jokin'."

"Even so." As she followed her housemates towards their first destination, the Swordsmistress' fine hearing picked up the tiniest chuckle coming from the friend currently saddled on her back. Somehow, the simple action was enough to confirm Motoko's suspicions as regarded Su and her part in the whole piece.

The only question now was what to do about it.

* * *

Keitaro glanced down at yet another take-away box, this time one containing a pizza, and bit back a sigh. Such things were nice once in a while, but three meals in a row was a little too much. Given the choice, the Kanrinin would have much rather gone out to a decent restaurant, or picked up some food from a nearby convenience store.

The knowledge that the Hinata-sou's residents were in the area took the choice away.

Yes, Sapporo was a large place, and yes the chances of being spotted on any given day during a trip to the shop was small. But the chance was still there, and it was one neither he nor his companion wished to take.

The aforementioned companion was presently rooting through a plastic bag stuffed with boxes which she had pulled from the depths of her suitcase. Withdrawing one the girl opened it and withdrew a sheet of tablets, quickly popping a couple from their blisters and throwing them into her mouth. Dropping the box back into the nondescript bag she reached out her left hand and plucked a glass of water from the table, downing half of the glass before carefully replacing it with a contented sigh.

"Okay over there Shinobu-chan?" Keitaro queried, watching the girl stow her bagful of tablets back in her luggage.

"Yeah." Glancing out of the window the diminutive figure frowned thoughtfully. "You know, we almost ended up getting caught because of all those tablets - Naru caught me in the kitchen with them the day before we left. Luckily, she didn't notice."

"I guess there might have been a few questions asked." Her friend agreed, idly scratching the plaster as if in hope it would reach the itch trapped beneath it.

"Itching again?" Making her way over to her bed, Shinobu sat down as she eyed the brown-eyed ronin with obvious sympathy.

"Not too bad this time. But seriously, if this happens to my leg again I'm going to ask them to just cut it off." The man responded, flipping the lid of the box beside him on the bed up and eyeing the contents curiously. "Well this looks…..interesting." He commented, uncertainty clear in his tone.

"It tastes better than it looks." Shinobu reassured, picking a slice of pizza from her own box and gingerly removing an olive which had been placed on top for no apparent reason. Elevating it to eye level and studying it with her violet gaze, Shinobu contemplated the small black object between her fingers with obvious puzzlement.

"I always wondered why they do it." She eventually announced to no-one in particular, dropping the offending fruit back into the open box before her.

"Do what?"

"Put things on pizza you don't want." Eyeing the now olive-less slice she still held and finding it more to her liking the girl took a bite and commenced chewing with relish, waiting until the first mouthful was gone before speaking again. "They ask you what toppings you want, and then they go and put something else on as well. When people want curry for dinner I don't go sticking olives in just for the heck of it."

"I think they call it artistic license." Deciding to bite the bullet (and the pizza) Keitaro took a tentative nip from the narrow end of the slice, and chewed cautiously. Finding the taste to his liking he took a larger mouthful, relaxing as he did so.

"Do you like it Kei-kun?" Raising his eyes to his friend the ex-ronin nodded contentedly, not trusting his over-full mouth to speak legibly. Shinobu smiled in relief, taking another bite of her own slice as she did so. "Good. I had no idea you'd never had pizza before, but I was sure you'd like it."

"Speaking with your mouth full? I must be a bad influence on you Shinobu-chan." Watching the girl opposite blush gently Keitaro chuckled, leaning over to pat her gently on the arm as if to confirm the lack of reproach in his words.

"Why have you never had pizza before?" Shinobu eventually managed, making sure she had well and truly finished her latest mouthful before saying a word.

"It just worked out that way. At home dinner was always cooked by someone, and I lived there right up until I moved to the Hinata-sou. As for after I moved, well, there was a chef who lived at the Hinata-sou whose cooking was far too good for me to even think about ordering take-away." Making no mention of the way Shinobu's face flushed once again, Keitaro eyed the pepperoni-topped bread with an appraising look. "I suppose there might have been times when someone ordered some, but considering how often I was……away for one reason or another I never got the chance to try it."

"I suppose." Shinobu agreed, not needing to ask what 'away' meant.

"I have to say, I could get used to this." Swinging his plaster-clad leg up onto the bed, the bespectacled man tore another slice from the pizza. "Good food, good company. Makes a nice change. Not that I'm saying your food isn't nice or anything Shinobu-chan, it's fantastic….." A waving hand told Keitaro that Shinobu understood what he meant.

"Was the company really that bad?" Taking another bite of her dinner, Shinobu watched with a furrowed brow as her friend placed his latest slice back in the box and his hands behind his head, resting back until his shoulders rested against the wall at the top of his bed.

"Well……for me it was. I just could never relax, ever, not like this. I always had to be on my guard, watching everything I ever said or did. Imagine never being able to just speak because you feel like talking, or stroll because you feel like walking." Thinking over his words, Shinobu found herself nodding in silent agreement.

"You haven't had so many problems since we came here." She pointed out, reaching over to pat Keitaro's un-plastered leg.

"Maybe now that I don't spend all my concentration on watching my mouth, I can watch my feet at the same time. Or vice-versa." Glancing over at the girl sat on the other bed, her hand still on his leg, Keitaro smiled a heartfelt smile. "I've got you to thank for that, Shinobu-chan.

"Kei-kun….." Feeling a hint of worry still nagging at her, Shinobu took a deep breath and looked Keitaro in the eye. "Kei-kun, do you think you……like me just because I'm the only one who'll give you the time of day?"

"What?! Shinobu-chan - "

"Please, I want to know." Fighting the urge to hide her gaze, the diminutive figure forced onwards. "If it was anyone else and you, anyone who was willing to listen…..wouldn't you be feeling the same way?" She finished, voice dropping as she gripped the bedspread tightly between her fingers.

"Well, I suppose I would be thankful yeah. But that wouldn't make me love them." A tiny smile made its way onto Shinobu's mouth at Keitaro's honest response, one that passed off just as quickly as it came.

"Love…." Letting the blanket slip from between her fingers, the petite girl swallowed past a lump beginning to form in her throat. "I know you love me Kei-kun, and I'm glad we're giving ourselves a chance. But…..I need you to be sure. Really sure." Glancing down at herself, Shinobu took in the subtle swell of her chest, the pale complexion of her thin arms, the narrowness of her hips. "If you choose to be with me, it means living with this for the rest of your life. Never having a real woman to share intimate moments with, never being able to father a child, people thinking you're robbing the cradle when you kiss me in the street. I know you, Kei, and I know that you'd say almost anything to make me happy. But I need to know that you've thought about what you're giving away, and what you'll never have, before you commit yourself to me."

For what seemed like hours, not a word was spoken.

"Shinobu-chan." Looking up, the girl found Keitaro sat opposite her, brown eyes only inches away.

"Yes?"

"I promise I'll think about this, for as long as it takes." Reaching up the man swept a few stray strands of violet behind the girl's ear, voice dropping to barely a whisper. "But while you've been telling me what I might miss, you've forgotten about the most important thing of all."

"What's that, Kei?" Shinobu breathed back, face aglow.

"What I get is far better than anything I lose. I get _you_."

For what might have been a second or a lifetime, the pair gazed at one another, faces centimetres apart. Then, as if on some sort of silent command, both pairs of lips drifted towards one another, both pairs of eyes slipped closed.

At this point, if one of the more caustic forces in life were in control of the scene - such as Murphy with his often cursed law, or the will of an author with a passion for the comedic and unfortunate, something should happen. Like the phone ringing, someone knocking at the door, or a traditional piece of Keitaro-clumsiness resulting in either a comic clashing of skulls or a tumble into a compromising position.

Hence, it was almost a surprise to both participants when their lips met in a soft embrace.

Neither one felt fireworks exploding in their mind, or even thought about deepening the contact beyond a chaste meeting of mouths. No choir of chorusing angels descended, the world did not turn over, and the earth did not move. In truth, it was not a kiss which would make it into the all-time top one-hundred smooches, or even the top one-hundred thousand for that matter. But, within them both, something changed forever. Suddenly they understood something they weren't even aware they didn't know, felt a void they hadn't been able to identify fill with indescribable warmth.

It wasn't a moment which would define history.

It was simply a moment which would define the lives of two lonely people.

Eventually, as if my mutual agreement, the pair separated and straightened up. Slowly two pairs of eyes opened, both possessing a sparkle which was absent before, one invisible to the unaware but clear as day to one another.

"……Oh……" Shinobu breathed, finding words horribly inadequate to describe the delightful feelings washing through her mind and body.

"Mmmmmm." Keitaro, it seemed, had the exact same problem.

Reaching her left hand up to brush her lips Shinobu almost jumped as the telephone chose that moment to ring, thankfully a good twenty seconds too late for it to make any difference. Briefly glancing at the offending device, the pair returned their focus to one another to find they were both wearing matching grins.

Suddenly, the ringing of a phone wasn't the death knell it had been before.

Neither knew who started first, but by the time Keitaro had made his one-legged way around the bed to picked the phone up the mutual laughter was flowing river-like from them both, the private joke they shared not needing to be voiced. Composing himself, the man cleared his throat and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

* * *

Kaolla Su was known for many things. Her energy, her creativity, her irreverence. But, perhaps most of all, it was her perpetual cheer for which she was known best.

Hence, if anyone were to be a fly on the wall of her shared apartment room, they would undoubtedly be both confused and worried at the sight before them. They would also be in mortal peril later on - Su being one who viewed a moving target (such as a flying insect) as a challenge - but at that moment in time the little Molmolian was almost unaware of the world around her.

One of the most noticeable points was that Su was sat down on the edge of the bed, holding a phone to her ear. As in sat still, legs crossed, hunched slightly forwards as if sheltering from a chill breeze. Also unusual was the fact the girl was talking in a low tone - her voice soft, even holding the faintest hint of sadness within it. If one were to look closer, they might notice a solemn expression on her face. Now, for Su a telephone conversation normally consisted of a few shouted words down a phone held at arms length until she started bouncing on the bed and, as a result, accidentally pulled the phone cable from its socket.

Given the situation, anyone could guess who the Molmolian was talking to at that moment.

"I don't want to spoil things Shinobu-chan. You've got your chance now, the last thing you need is anyone getting in the way." Twirling the telephone cord between her fingers, the tan girl cocked her head to one side as she listened to her friend's reply. After a few seconds she let out a tiny sigh, the first hint of a smile breaking out on her face. "…..Well, if your sure….." She mused, tone absolutely begging Shinobu to say that yes, she was sure. Eventually, the smile became broad and the voice returned to its normal cheery self. "Okies, that sounds like a plan. Now, on the subject of delaying tactics. I've got everyone focussed on the south and west where the cheaper hotels are, on the basis that Keitaro's a bit cheap."

It wasn't quite an explosion which erupted down the phone following that comment, but the noise coming from the tinny speaker told anyone within earshot that Shinobu was less than impressed by it. Holding the speaker away from her ear a touch, Su grinned as she waited for her friend to stop.

"Yeah, I know Keitaro wouldn't take you to a hovel, he's way too nice for that." Chuckling under her breath the girl switched hands, putting the phone to her other ear and letting her left hand play with the cable for a change. "I don't know if I'm glad or sad the others can't see it - while it makes distraction easier it's a shame they can't see what he's really like." Pausing, the Molmolian heard the sound of soft footfalls in the passageway outside. "Hold on a second Shinobu-chan, someone's coming. It might be Motoko, she only popped out to go and get us something to eat." As the phone fell silent Su unconsciously held her breath as the sounds came closer, only to release it in a rush when they passed by the door without a pause. "Sorry, it wasn't her." She announced down the phone, relaxing once again. "She left when I was in the bath, it's been ten minutes now so I'd better hang up before she gets back. What? The plan? Uh, I'll draw them towards the west tomorrow, and then catch up with you in the evening. We'll work things out then." Pausing as her friend replied, the blonde nodded to herself. "Sure, I can do that Shinobu-chan. Now I'd better hang up before Motoko gets back, I don't know what she'd do if she knew what I was doing….."

"I imagine you may find out now, Su-chan." The measured voice from behind her froze the Molmolian more quickly than liquid nitrogen ever could. Slowly turning her head, the girl felt her heart sink as her wide green eyes met their narrowed olive counterparts.

"Motoko….." The high-pitched squeak which piped from the phone as she breathed the name told Su that Shinobu was surprised as she was.

"I think it would be best if you ended your call, so we can……discuss the situation." Motoko intoned, nodding towards the receiver the girl still held between numb fingers.

"Yeah….."Turning her attention back to the phone, Su spoke in hurried tones. "Yeah, we'll do what we were planning. No, she won't find out where you are. Don't worry Shinobu-chan, it'll work out. Speak to you tomorrow. Bye." Dropping the receiver back into its cradle, the little Princess took a deep breath before turning around to face judgement.

It turned out judgement wasn't quite as forthcoming as she'd anticipated. Motoko just stood still as a statue, and stared levelly back.

"Uh, when did you get back in?" Su questioned, searching her mercurial mind for some sort of distraction.

"I never left. Just because a door opens and closes, it does not mean someone has gone through it." Came the calm reply.

"But…..you weren't here. I would've seen you."

"I have ways of avoiding detection when I need to." In truth the swords mistress had hidden in the wardrobe, but putting it the way she did made it sound a lot more……dignified. "And before you ask I did indeed hear the entirety of the conversation."

"How did you know what I was doing?" Su racked her brain, trying to detect some slip she had made which could have blown her cover.

"A few things. The Su I know would never mix up video feeds, from the moment I worked out the footage from the teashop was falsified I had my suspicions. Then you seemed far too keen to direct our search, and insisted we stay as group which would slow us down. Finally, this evening I told you I was going for food….." For the first time, Motoko let a tiny smile pinch her mouth. "Kaolla Su never, ever turns down the chance to go for food, even if she is in the bath. In fact, the main difficulty is getting her to put some clothes on before stepping out of the door."

"Damn. I must be getting careless." Su chuckled, relaxing as she sensed Motoko wasn't about to start breathing fire.

"If it makes a difference, I believe I am the only one who has noticed." Pacing around the bed the swords mistress took a seat beside her friend, fixing her with an enquiring gaze. "So, I suppose I should ask the question which needs to be asked. Why are you doing this Su-chan?"

"'Cause Shinobu and Keitaro deserve each other." The Molmolian replied, almost surprising herself with the simplicity of her answer. Clearly Motoko was surprised, the way her eyebrows rose visibly was clue enough. "Shinobu loves Keitaro, loves him a whole lot. But back in the Hinata-sou she's got no chance - there's too many things in the way. I wanted to let her have the chance, it's what she deserves." Su continued, sea green eyes begging Motoko to understand.

She didn't.

"Well I can see your actions are based upon good intentions, but I don't see why you believe they deserve one another. Shinobu will grow into a fine young woman, surely she deserves better than him….." It was at that moment Motoko saw something she never believed she would ever see.

Kaolla Su was mad.

Scratch that, she was _furious._

"That's the other thing! I helped them leave so Keitaro could get away from you! You, Naru, Kitsune…..why can't any of you see that he's a good man?! He'd do anything for any of us but none of you give him the respect he deserves, or even treat him like a human being! And even now, after you've made a decision which would change his life forever, you still talk like he's below your notice. _You _don't deserve _him_, Motoko." Su finished with a growl, deep breaths punctuating the quiet which followed.

Motoko stared at the floor, mind and voice mute with shock.

She'd been dressed down by Kaolla Su of all people. And every word was true.

"B-but even so, it is still improper for them to be in a relationship, simply due to Shinobu's young age." She eventually muttered, still trying to stop herself reeling at the brutal assault her view on the world had taken.

"…..That won't be a problem." Seeing the other girl's confusion, the Molmolian sighed. "I can't explain why, I've promised Shinobu. You'd have to ask her yourself."

"I see." It was clear Motoko didn't, but there was little more that could be said.

"So that's that. You can do what you like now you know, but I won't tell you where they are. I'll even scrap my plans if I have to, and just tell them to run." Su stated defiantly, arms folded. "Right now Shinobu is at the top of my importance list. Above me, above you. I'm sorry Motoko, but I'm not going stand and watch a lie ruin their chance at happiness together."

"Why are you so sure they will be happy together? After all, Keitaro still has strong feelings for Naru." Motoko hedged, frowning. In response Su seemed to roll a few thoughts around her head, before shrugging and deciding to stick to the truth.

"'Cause they already are. Shinobu told me that they were together, and I've never heard her sound so happy before."

"They are together?" Breathing the words softly, Motoko felt something within her shift. The thought of going against Naru was galling, but given the tempestuous nature of her relationship with Keitaro and the fact that at present the pair were well and truly not together…..the guilt would gnaw at her, but it was a pain she could tolerate. However the idea of taking the same man away from Shinobu, especially when she was both deeply in love and truly happy……the thought of destroying her cheerful smile just to perpetuate a selfish lie was a far, far more bitter pill to have to swallow. Additionally, if Keitaro was indeed more than she gave him credit for, and he too was happy with his new love……

"So, what are you gonna do Motoko?" Su probed, watching her friend carefully.

"I……do not know yet." the swords mistress answered honestly, gazing down at her intertwined fingers which rested in her lap. "I will need to think about this for a while longer. Acting without thought has already proven unwise, it is not an error I wish to repeat." Raising her head again, Motoko gave her friend a slow look. "One more thing - how long has this rather fearsome intellect of yours been hidden from view?"

"It hasn't." Sensing the denial before it came, Su simply smiled. "C'mon, you reckon someone who can invent cutting-edge technology and then attain one-hundred-and-seventy-four patents isn't smart? Just 'cause I like having a good time and the lighter side of life, everyone misses the obvious. Suits me fine, means I only do serious when I have to."

"……." Motoko had never even suspected that Kaolla Su might have patented her nefarious inventions, but in retrospect it was obvious that Su actually made a lot of sense when she wasn't simply joking.

"It's cool, you're not the only one I had fooled." The smile became more of a grin, signs of the Hinata-sou's Kaolla beginning to take over once again. "Anyways, isn't it time for food?"

"I suppose it is, yes." Motoko replied, a good natured smile upon her own face.

"Yippee!" Springing up off the bed, the tan girl bolted for the door. "Last one out is a rotten egg!"

"Su-chan, aren't you forgetting something?" Her friend cautioned, rising more sedately to her feet.

"What?"

"Your shoes."

"Oh yeah."

* * *

Naru stared out of the window, glaring at the passing pedestrians below as if each and every one was responsible for the utter failure to find any trace of either Keitaro and Shinobu over the entire day.

A long day it had been, as well.

After a full twelve hours of traipsing the various streets and lobbies of Sapporo, Mitsune had eventually done the sensible thing and called a halt to the search, citing the progressively darkening sky and exhaustion as the reasons. Naru didn't entirely agree at the time - but it was three against one, and the student didn't fancy wandering around a foreign city on her own in the dark reading a map.

That was the metaphorical equivalent of waving a giant flag bearing the word 'tourist', and wearing a sandwich board with 'please mug me' scrawled across it in black felt-tip pen.

In any case, once she'd got back to the room and popped her shoes from her complaining feet, the wise nature of Mitsune's choice was as obvious as the blisters she now sported on both sets of toes and heels. For some reason it hadn't occurred to the girl that the search might mean walking miles, and so the shoes chosen were tilted more towards style than comfort.

A particularly painful throb from her right big toe drew her frown away from the general public and towards her feet, which were currently immersed in a bowl of cool water. Another twinge drew an annoyed noise from the girl, resulting in a glare which the offending appendages would certainly have quailed beneath if they'd had the ability to.

"Still givin' you trouble Naru-chan?" Mitsune called, reclined comfortably on the bed, remote in hand.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Growling quietly as her other foot joined in the torture, Naru turned back to the window.

"They'll be better in the mornin'" Blinking tiredly, the fox smothered a yawn as she clicked the television off. "Shut the window Naru-chan, it's time to catch some rest."

"Nah, I'm going to stay here a little longer." The younger girl replied, scanning the faces passing below with tired determination.

"C'mon, there's no point sittin' there all night an' waitin' for a miracle. It's just an alleyway out there, doubt Keitaro an' Shinobu are gonna just appear down it at half-past-midnight."

"You never know." Naru replied stubbornly, eyes squinting through thick lenses to identify a couple who had just stepped under one of the street lights below.

"Look, ya'll be in no state at go lookin' tomorrow. We're more likely findin' them by searchin' than sittin' and waitin' for them to come to us." When her friend made no response, Mitsune sighed. "Suit yourself. I'm gonna get some sleep, so I'm killin' the lights. Hurry up an' join me over here when you're ready."

"Sure." Shaking her head at the short reply the fox, after yawning widely, reached over to her lamp and clicked it off. Settling back down onto her pillow, she gazed through sleepy eyes at the figure sat at the window, silhouetted bleakly against the weak moonlight. Inwardly shaking her head the girl let her tired lids drift closed, the last vision burned into her retinas the motionless figure still sat resolute at the window, matchstick-propped eyes still staring in desperate hope at the street below.

* * *

Well, that's all for now. In the next chapter Su's plans come to light, a confrontation occurs and things come to a head.

I guess it's up to you if you want to see what happens….if there's anyone left reading that is…..

If so, please let me know what you think.

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	11. Chapter 11

Well, it has been a while.

In fact, it's been a lot longer than that.

Apologies to all those who I've kept waiting for this chapter – my writing depends on a combination of things, including the number and tone of the reviews I've been receiving, the amount of work on at the time and the enjoyment I'm getting from writing. It's been mostly a combination of the second and third reasons that have made this chapter so darn slow in arriving. But now it has, I hope it was worth the wait.

But whether it was or it wasn't, please let me know with a quick review if you have the time!

And thanks to those who sent PMs inquiring after my well being – knowing that even after all these months people still remember this fic and want to read more has helped me to complete this chapter at last.

On with the show.

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Parallel Lives – Chapter 11

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It had been another fruitless day of searching, one which had seen the gradual shortening of more than one fuse as numerous pairs of increasingly sore feet traipsed hard stone pavements for several hours. Naru, who was still very much the driving force behind the search, had been hobbling along on her blisters the best she could - and while the pain in her feet hadn't stopped her walking, it had led to more than one situation where Mitsune had had to step in before her friend's hostile questioning had resulted in them being escorted from a hotel lobby by security. Needless to say this had done little good for the Fox's mood, and after the fifth such altercation she had ordered the ragtag mob back to the hotel.

Naru had tried to argue, but Mitsune made her point very effectively.

By stepping firmly on her friend's still throbbing toe.

Hence, as they entered the hotel's lobby, the passenger on Motoko's back was not the one who might normally be expected there - Su had been forced to disembark, thus leaving the spot vacant for a honey-haired girl who'd suddenly found the last week had caught up with her. Normally the sight of a barefoot young woman being carried piggyback (and snoring loudly) would attract more than the occasional stare, but Motoko's olive glare was a strong deterrent to anyone who looked a little too interested.

"I'm tellin' ya I didn't stamp on it hard. It was more a tap than anythin' else." Mitsune protested, gesturing with the hand that presently held her sleeping friend's shoes.

"Be that as it may, your knowledge of Naru-san's injuries made such an act at best idiotic, and at worst cruel." Motoko answered coolly, tone carrying her annoyance quite effectively.

"I was just tryin' to get her to see sense, the girl was gonna blow a fuse." Came the defensive reply, Mitsune folding her arms across her ample chest. "How was I to know that steppin' on her toe would make it blow anyway?"

Blow it well and truly had. Naru's reaction to the insult to her already throbbing feet was to hop around swearing at the top of her voice for fully thirty seconds before sinking to the floor, wrapping her arms around her knees and starting to sob quietly. A public full-scale mental and emotional breakdown was not a sight often seen in the middle of downtown Sapporo, but it seemed that by that point Naru was too far gone to care. After some rather embarrassed standing around and several false-starts as the struggling girl attempted to walk at a decent pace, Motoko had eventually taken pity on her friend (or possibly ran out of patience, she wasn't sure which) and hoisted her onto her back.

It took barely a minute for the snoring to begin, by which point the Kendoist had resigned herself to being a beast of burden until her passenger woke up.

"Irrespective of the intent, the result was myself carrying a comatose girl several miles across a busy city beneath the eyes of countless commuters. Additionally, I believe I can feel something soaking through the clothing on my left shoulder, and as it is not raining I must surmise that Naru-san must be the source." Motoko stated curtly, trying not to shudder at the thought of drool permeating through the fine silk of her hakima.

"...Yeah, fair enough.." Looking over at her comatose friend, Mitsune's face and voice softened. "I didn't realize how much it was takin' outta her, all this craziness. She didn't come to bed last night either, fell asleep sat by the window while watchin' the people passin' by outside - the girl's stubborn as hell but I'm glad that she's finally tryin' to do somethin' about Keitaro before she runs outta time an' loses him." As if realizing who she was talking to, the Fox trailed off in the hope Motoko hadn't been listening.

"I am not a fool Mitsune-san, I do realise that myself and Naru are at…..crossed purposes at this moment in time." The swordsmistress stated calmly, eyes focussed on the lift she was about to enter. "I am still ruminating on how to resolve this problem in a way which will be fair to all involved."

"But….You can't. You need him, Naru wants him. You can't both have him." Mitsune declared, following her friend into the lift and punching the number marked '5'.

"That is true."

"So how are you gonna sort it out? Far as I can see, you're either gonna pinch Keitaro from under her nose and leg it to Kyoto or spend the rest of your life payin' for the lie." Mitsune snarked, frustration getting the better of her. "Hardly seems fair that you're sellin' Naru out to pay for your own

life."

"So you would rather see me dragged back to Kyoto in chains? Is that what you would wish to happen, Mitsune-san?" Motoko questioned calmly, eyes still fixed on the closed doors before her.

"Well, uh, no…."

"Or perhaps I should take my own life? That is the traditional way of the warrior, is it not? Slice my stomach open to atone for my deceitful behaviour?"

"When you put it that way…" Anger well and truly cooled, Mitsune struggled for words. "I just reckon you shouldn't have said somethin' that stupid in the first place, that's all."

"Do you claim that you have never said something in the heat of the moment which, on reflection, proved to be foolish?" Not waiting for an answer, Motoko shifted the sleeping girl on her back into a more comfortable position. "You can be assured that there is no-one more aware of the idiocy of my claims than myself. However only I can deal with the situation, so you will simply have to trust me when I say that I will do all I can to ensure the best outcome possible for all of us."

"I 'spose." Glancing down at a quiet Kaolla who was watching the floor numbers flash up with a strange detachment, Mitsune was about to continue when the lift's ascent halted. A loud 'ping' and the doors slid open, accompanied by an electronic female voice informing all aboard of their arrival on the fifth floor. It was only a few short paces to the room, and after some brief rooting through her handbag for the key Mitsune opened the door with a quiet click. Without preamble the girl led her younger house mates inside, kicking off her shoes and dropping her bag casually in one corner.

"Where shall I put Naru-san?" Motoko asked quietly, glancing around the room as she did.

"Ah, just pop her on the bed an' let her sleep. I reckon she's got some catchin' up to do." Nodding at the instruction the swordsmistress half-turned and, with considerable care, eased Naru from her back onto the bed.

"Huh? Where are we?" Which was obviously enough to wake her up, judging by the sleepy mumbling which emitted from the girl the moment her back touched mattress.

"We're back at the hotel Naru-chan. Motoko had to carry ya here, so don't go pretendin' you're ready to be goin' out again." Mitsune warned, taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her friend.

"But Kitsune-chan….."

"But nothin'." Grasping the blankets folded at the foot of the bed, the silver-haired girl pulled them over her feebly protesting friend. "Time ya got some rest Naru-chan. Sapporo will still be there tomorrow, an' I doubt Motoko-chan wants to carry you twice in one day."

"I guess…." Yawning widely, Naru let her drowsy eyes drift over to Motoko. "Thanks Motoko-chan, I really appreciate it."

"It is not a problem Naru-san."

"I'm sorry…..I thought you'd abandon me….I shouldn't have doubted you." The older girl admitted drowsily, letting her eyelids slip closed.

For several long seconds the Swordsmistress looked down at the comatose figure on the bed, an unreadable expression on her face. It was the eruption of the first sonorous snore which broke the silent tableau, at which point Motoko realised she was being watched.

"Guess that puts the ball firmly in your court Motoko-chan." The watcher said, a single silver eyebrow raised. "Are ya gonna go runnin' after Keitaro now she's outta the way? The only trust you'd be breakin' is hers, so I guess it's up to you to decide what's most important - friends or family?"

"…." Gazing levelly back at the fox, Motoko eventually turned on her heel and stalked towards the door. "Come Su-chan, it's time we returned to our room."

"Not gonna answer?" Mitsune pushed, arms folded as she stared at Motoko's back.

"I have already told you, I shall endeavour to do what is best and nothing less. But if you wish for promises, then I swear upon my honour that I shall not seek Urashima out for my own benefit. Will that do?" The younger girl replied, glancing back over her shoulder. In response the determined look Mitsune wore faltered, the girl evidently not expecting any kind of promise - let alone one which apparently bound Motoko to her word.

"Uh yeah, I guess." She eventually stuttered, nodding as she did so.

"Good." Striding through the door, the raven-haired girl didn't even bother to check she was being followed until she'd slipped the key into the door of her own room and crossed the threshold. The sound of a lock clicking behind her was followed by a softly spoken question.

"Why?" Kaolla Su perched on the edge of the bed, and peered at Motoko with curious green eyes. "You could've sold me out, but you didn't….."

"Because, Su-chan, I have decided that this idiocy has gone far enough." With a sigh, the Swordsmistress passed a hand over her tired face. "What good would it have done? Not only would it have placed you in a difficult position, but it would have lost the only contact we have with Shinobu and Keitaro."

"If you're thinking of using me to get to them, forget it. I told you before, I'm not gonna let Shinobu down." Su warned, eyebrows dipping into a frown.

"If you would care to recall, a few moments ago I swore on my honour that I would not approach Keitaro for my own benefit." Motoko replied softly. "However, I have been…..musing on what we spoke of yesterday, and I would be grateful if I may ask something of you."

"Tell me what, and I'll think about it." Su answered cagily, eyes still narrowed.

"Well, you are meeting our wayward friends tonight, are you not?" Sensing the denial before it arrived, Motoko held up a hand. "Please, I will do nothing to disrupt your plans or attempt to use the information for my own gain. So I ask again, you will be meeting them tonight?"

"Yeah..."

"In that case, I have something to ask of you….."

-/-

-/-

"So that's how it is." Brown eyes creasing as her mouth formed a friendly smile, the young woman sat opposite Keitaro and Shinobu bit back a chuckle. "It did puzzle me, what with delivery boys turning up every day and asking for your room number….."

"We weren't keen on strolling around Kyoto in plain daylight." Keitaro confirmed, nodding.

"Now it all makes sense." Placing down her teacup, the proprietress to the apartments reached across and patted the joined hands belonging to her most…..interesting guests. "It's fine, your secret is safe with me. I wouldn't want to spoil something that's not even been given a chance yet."

"Thank you, Williams-san."

"Rachel, please." Pushing her seat back, the slim woman stood easily and brushed her long hazel hair back over her shoulders. "Now, I'd better get back out to the desk. I know how hopeless my husband can be at remembering room numbers, or times, or…..well, just about anything." Giving a long-suffering sigh (belied by the grin still pinching her mouth) the person-now-known-as-Rachel turned to leave.

"Oh, Rachel-san? There is one person who we're expecting to see, she might be here in a few minutes." Shinobu called out at the retreating figure.

"Yes?"

"Her name is Kaolla Su. When you see her, could you send her up to our room?"

"Well yes, but..." Turning back, the proprietress raised an eyebrow. "...what do I do when someone comes looking for you? If I ask their name, they'll know you're here."

"Trust me, you'll know it's her." Shinobu grinned.

"Yeah. Su's a little…..different. Distinctive." Keitaro added helpfully, trying his best not to laugh.

"Distinctive? Well, we'll see." With that Rachel walked out of the office, leaving the pair to their own devices.

"Time to head back to the room?" Keitaro asked, rising and offering Shinobu his hand.

"Sounds good." Grasping it with a smile the petite girl swung out of her chair and opened the office door, stepping through it with Keitaro following behind. Neither of them seemed to notice their hands were still joined as they crossed the lobby, or even when they stepped into the lift.

"Nice of her to be helpful." Shinobu commented, prodding the number three as the lift doors hissed closed.

"I guess anyone would start to wonder what was going on, having to direct three deliveries a day to the same hotel room." Her friend agreed, instinctively squeezing the hand he still grasped. It had been a worrying moment, when the hotel's proprietress had called them down to the office for what she had termed 'a quick chat'. It turned out that the woman was more concerned than suspicious, after all, she had seen a previously cheery pair who had been going out for dinner like a pair of newly-weds suddenly take up hermitage in one of her own hotel rooms. Shinobu had quickly identified a potential ally, and after a quick summary of the situation (which had the kindly lady hovering somewhere between bemusement and laughter for the majority of it) there was one extra person in on the secret who had sworn to keep it.

"I…..didn't feel quite so…..ashamed either. You know, telling someone what's wrong with me…" Shinobu admitted meekly, glancing down at the carpet as she did.

"Nothing to be ashamed of. You just spent so long thinking about who you weren't that you forgot who you were." Keitaro soothed, reaching into his pocket for a key.

"Auuuu, Kei-kun…" It was credit to Shinobu's self-control that she managed to avoid what is known in some circles as an OTT PDA, and only glomp the man she was coming to know as 'boyfriend' after they'd entered their room. As it was, when the pair finally came to rest with Shinobu on top of Keitaro on top of the bed (in a position which would undoubtedly have resulted in an unrestrained assault upon the ex-Ronin if witnessed by the wrong person) the closeness of their faces drew a pair of deep red blushes from a pair still getting used to actually touching someone of the opposite gender.

The brief kiss which followed did little to dispel the blushes, but judging by the twin smiles afterwards neither person cared. In truth Keitaro was quite happy to remain a surrogate mattress for as long as his surrogate blanket desired, but eventually the sound of an alarm beeping quietly from a watch buried somewhere in Shinobu's bag drew a quiet groan from the girl.

"Tablet time, be right back." She murmured, padding over to a draw and tugging it open.

"What is it this time?" Keitaro asked, remembering the pills Shinobu had taken that morning.

"Calcium. It makes sure my bones won't break when you eventually jump them." It was a good thing the man behind her was still sprawled on the bed - had he been upright a face-plant would have been inevitable.

"Shinobu-chan!"

"Sorry, I don't know what's come over me…." The girl giggled while trying to work out where the last thought had come from, possibly so she could go there a bit more often.

Much to Keitaro's relief, the need for a coherent reply was cut off by the room's phone ringing. Shooting Shinobu a glance he plucked the handset from its resting place and brought it to his ear with a quiet "Hello?".

As Shinobu watched Keitaro's mouth curved up into a grin, before a short laugh escaped him. "Is she? Well, I told you she was distinctive. Yeah, send her on up."

"Su arrived?"

"Apparently she's dancing around the lobby offering everyone bananas. Having entered via the window and using one of the light fittings as a trapeze." Pulling himself into a sitting position, Keitaro scratched his cheek idly. "Looks like she's taken your advice to tone it down seriously."

"Seems that way. She once told me she liked to enter 'with a bang'. It took me a while to explain the saying wasn't meant to be taken literally." This was true. After the third set of shattered windows the Hinata-sou's residents put their collective foot down and demanded that any future detonations were confined to Su's room or wide open spaces. Preferably very wide, very open spaces in a completely different country.

Because Su could never simply enter with a 'bang'. It had to be at least a 'BANG!' if not a **BOOOOOOM!** followed by the shattering of glass, the frantic barking of hysterical dogs and a ringing in the ears that wouldn't leave for days.

"I wonder what the others are up to now?" Shinobu mused, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with her room-mate.

"I guess we'll find out." Keitaro replied as knocking sounded at the door. Three simple, brisk knocks.

Even as Shinobu got up to answer, something inside Keitaro's mind began waving every red flag it could lay its hands on. Something about the fact that Su, who had just performed a triple-somersault through a window as an alternative to walking through an open door, had announced her presence in such a low-key manner…

By the time his mouth was forming its first syllable, the sound of the door creaking open told him the warning was already too late.

His suspicions were confirmed a heartbeat later as a gasp, like someone recoiling from a devastating blow, echoed into the room - followed by a harshly whispered name.

"Motoko-san…"

Keitaro felt his eyebrows climb into his hair and his heart sink towards his feet as Shinobu backed into the room, not willing to take her eyes from the figure who followed. Keitaro could just feel panic welling up like a roused volcano as Motoko strode into the room, olive eyes sweeping everything in the matter of a moment before they alighted upon him. A moment of silence passed before, almost in slow motion, the Swordsmistress' fingers tightened visibly into fists.

"Keitaro…"

In that moment, several things happened in simultaneous slow motion.

Motoko took a heavy step forwards.

Keitaro let his head fall, his eyes dropping to the carpeted floor as if in submission, only to find himself toppling back onto the bed as a small body collided with his.

Su peeked past Motoko, eyebrows furrowing in puzzlement.

And a diminutive figure stood tall before the bed, arms spread in defiance and violet eyes narrowed dangerously, speaking in a tone which could bend steel.

"Stay away from him!"

It wasn't even a shout, but for a long second everyone in the room froze. Motoko, still in mid-step, stared at Shinobu with blatant amazement. Keitaro, lying supine on the bed, stared at the same girl with no less amazement. Su, meanwhile, grinned before piping up with unmistakeable glee.

"Told you."

"You did." Motoko replied evenly, nodding in sober agreement.

"And you should've listened." Apparently content with her chiding, Su turned and grinned at the baffled expressions of the girl stood before them – arms still aloft - and the man in an ungainly heap on the bed behind her. "Heya Shinobu, Keitaros. How's it hangin'?" When neither of the pair replied or even moved a muscle, the girl scratched her head with a depreciating chuckle. "Sorry about that, Motoko reckoned things weren't so bad you thought she'd attack on sight. I tried to tell her….."

"Well. It appears I have apologies to make." Placing her empty palms together the gowned woman bowed at the waist, right to the point where her long raven tresses swept the floor at Shinobu's toes. "I most humbly express my regrets that things have reached such a nadir between us, and swear upon my ancestors that any discourse which passes between us from this point onwards will be of a strictly non-violent nature."

"Or in other words, she's not gonna touch ya." Slipping past the bowed figure, Su gave her friend a solemn look. "She means it, Shinobu-chan. I wouldn't have let her near ya if I wasn't sure."

Violet gazed into green for several long seconds until, very slowly, Shinobu's arms almost grudgingly dropped back down to her sides.

"Fine. But if I don't like what's being said and ask you to leave, you leave. Okay?" Shinobu almost growled, sitting back onto the edge of the bed and pulling a bemused Keitaro up beside her.

"As you wish." Motoko murmured, still in a position of thorough deference.

"C'mon Motoko-chan, take a seat. We can't chat while you're speaking to the floor." Su chirruped, skipping almost sedately across the room and springing onto the second bed. Motoko didn't move an inch.

"I understand that, but I still await the approval of another in order to do so."

It took several pokes from Shinobu for Keitaro to realise who she was referring to.

"Uh, yeah, that's fine by me M-Motoko-san." He stumbled, trying (and failing) not to wince as the girl straightened slowly and fixed her hawkish gaze upon him. Judging by the tightening of both Motoko's expression and Shinobu's grasp of his arm both girls noticed the reaction, and neither were pleased.

"I promise you Urashima-san, you shall come to no harm. I merely seek to understand a few things which have thus far evaded my grasp." Slipping with typical grace around the bed Motoko took a seat beside Su. The Kendoist couldn't help but feel a frown form as both of her erstwhile house mates turned to face her but made no move to slide across the bed, choosing to sit as far away as possible. "Please, I have already assured your safety. There is no need to be so defensive."

"Pardon me if I don't trust your promises at the moment Motoko-san." Shinobu spat.

"I take it then that Su-chan has told you of my moment of…..indiscretion?" As she spoke Motoko, for the first time in her life, felt a hint of fear blossom in her chest not provoked by the presence of either her elder sister or turtlekind. If someone had told her in advance that Shinobu would be the cause, she might have gone so far as to question their sanity.

However, at that moment, the girl was a geyser waiting to erupt.

"Is that what you call it?" The girl would have sprung to her feet but for a restraining hand from the man at her side. "You sold Kei-kun's life and my dreams for your freedom, and then try and pass it off as if its nothing? Let me tell you now, if you're here to try and take him you can just walk out of that door!"

"I-I don't..."

"Think? Tell me something I don't know Motoko-san."

"Shinobu-chan. Let's hear what she has to say." Keitaro murmured, placing an hand on his fuming girlfriend's knee.

"But Kei-kun, she - "

"I know. But don't you want to know why?" When the only response was a stream of muttered invective, Keitaro glanced up briefly. "Go ahead Motoko-san."

"Thank you, Keitaro-san." Clearing her throat carefully, Motoko spoke. "What I have done was a result of cowardice, a mistake entirely of my own making. I ask not for your assistance, or even your forgiveness – I see no reason why you should bless me with any, I am as yet undeserving. I wish to emphasise that I have no plans to separate the two of you; now I know the depth of feeling you share, I...I would be unable to live with the regret."

"Motoko-san..." Shinobu breathed, watching the ebon-haired girl clasp her hands in her lap.

"I came with Su-chan this evening to see the two of you, and try to understand what I couldn't. How was it that a lowly Ronin scoundrel could be with a fair young flower such as Shinobu-chan?" Ignoring the affronted 'hey' from Keitaro and a glare from his girlfriend, Motoko laughed quietly under her breath. "How misguided was I? The answer was staring me in the face the entire time, but I couldn't see it until I stepped into the room and watched someone half my size stand up and challenge me. Even when she knew that, should it come to a test of strength, she could not have held out much hope."

In the silence which followed Motoko's monologue Shinobu looked down at her clasped hands with a faint blush, while Keitaro glanced at her with his own face no less flushed.

"...Thank you, Shinobu-chan." He eventually whispered, his hand giving the girl's knee a squeeze.

"I-I just reacted, I didn't even think about the consequences..." Shinobu murmured, obviously embarrassed.

"I never thought anyone would do that for me." Keitaro admitted, a hint of a gleam tinting his dark eyes.

"Auuu, Kei-kun..."

The sound of a throat being gently cleared brought the pair back to reality, and both coloured all the more deeply at the sight of Su's especially cheesy grin and Motoko's elegantly raised eyebrows.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid I cannot allow such shows of impropriety before me until I know why I should not apprehend Urashima-san for making advances upon a minor." The woman quietly stated, although the fact she didn't take her eyes from Shinobu's suggested it wasn't really a threat.

For a long second there was silence as Shinobu first glanced at Su, then at Keitaro, before sighing gently. "Okay, time to come clean. The truth is Motoko-san, I'm sixteen. Not fourteen."

"Sixteen?" Motoko echoed, curious. "Why the deception Shinobu-chan?"

"Because I didn't want any awkward questions. I...I don't really want to go into it now, but I've got a condition which means I'm likely to be stuck this way for good."

"I'll tell ya all about it later." Su chipped in, nodding eagerly.

"Very well."

"So Motoko-san..." Keitaro faltered, seemingly unsure how to ask the crucial question.

Shinobu had no such qualms.

"What are you going to do?" The girl leaned forwards, violet eyes questioning. "Unless you've been lying to us for the last five minutes, you won't be taking Kei away. So what are you going to do? The way I see it you either go home or run away, and either way you'll be called a liar."

"And a liar I should be called, for I am no more than that." Motoko replied, although the tremulous hands folded in her lap belied her calm of her voice.

"But why the change of heart? I thought Kitsune would've spent a Saturday sober before you'd consider letting Keitaro be with me. Or anyone else from the Hinata-sou, for that matter."

"I...finally feel I have grown to realise what my family wished me to learn by living in the Hinata-sou. When my sister sent me to stay there I will admit to feeling disillusioned - after all, is it not normally the way of the martial artist to train in solitude, stalking deserted mountainsides and meditating beneath frigid waterfalls?" A tiny smile pinched at Motoko's mouth, accompanied by a shake of the head. "In any case, I believe that my reasons are beside the point at this moment. Time is passing, and by each second which ticks by the chance of our my being noticed increases. It is, after all, quite late."

"Yeah..." Glancing at Su, Shinobu sighed at the sight of the normally ebullient girl twiddling her fingers in an almost pensive way. "Su-chan, what are you fretting about?"

"I told you Shinobu, I don't wanna mess things up..."

"Come on, you know it's fine. Keitaro thinks so too, don't you Kei-kun?"

"Yeah." Nodding firmly, the ex-ronin smiled at his oddly anxious friend. "We're not taking no for an answer."

"If you're sure..."

"Sure about what?" Motoko asked, gaze switching back and forth like a spectator watching a particularly epic tennis match.

"I...I want to go with them." Su stuttered, turning big green eyes on her.

"Go with them?"

"Yeah." Shifting uncomfortably, the Molmolian princess looked down and fiddled with the bedspread beneath her. "I came to the Hinata-sou to see the world outside Molmol, but I've got the feeling my time is running out...I want to see more before I have ta go home. There's so much of Japan I haven't seen, that I might never see if I don't go now."

"So we want Su to come with us." Shinobu finished, reaching over to pat her friend upon her tanned knee.

"I just don't want ta spoil your time together. You've waited long enough for the chance..."

"Su, you're coming." Came the reply, which pretty much ended the debate.

For Su, anyway.

"You mean you will both be sharing a room with...Keitaro-san?" Motoko finished tamely, choking off the reflexive disapproval as her brain caught up with her mouth just in time. She was lucky it did, as Shinobu's expression indicated the younger girl would have been more than happy to do the choking for her.

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that Motoko-san?"

Even the most suicidally passionate masochist wouldn't have dared answer 'yes' to that question.

"N-no, not really." Seeing violet eyes narrow a fraction, the swordsmistress swallowed slowly. "I apologise Shinobu-san, but even with my new understanding it is more than the work of a night to fully unlearn that which is already known."

"Fine. So long as you're on our side, I can accept that." Shinobu patted the bed beside her and with a quick spring Su appeared in it, as if confirming her change of allegiance. "So the question is, what do we do now? I don't want to risk meeting Naru, but at the same time I don't want her searching forever."

"So...you want Naru to _know_ it's time to give up, but without actually coming face-to-face with her..." Motoko mused.

"If we could..."

"No problem!" Su chirruped, the first grin for several minutes gracing her features. "I've got it all planned out."

"Have you indeed?" Motoko leaned forward, apparently interested. "Well then, let's hear it..."

-/-

-/-

It had been quite late when hurried knocking had disturbed the still comatose Naru and the dozing Mitsune from their slumbers. A good few seconds (and a lot of muttered swearing) passed before the fox got up to answer the door, but when it had opened to reveal an obviously flustered Motoko both women knew without being told their search was at an end.

It was surprising how quickly people could move given the right incentive.

As she ran panting into an unfamiliar hotel lobby, a corner of Naru's mind told her keeping on Motoko's shoulder for ten minutes at approaching a full sprint was quite an achievement. Needless to say, the girl decided to save the self-congratulation until later.

"I-is this the p-place?" Gasped Mitsune from just behind her, looking even more knackered than Naru felt.

"Yes." Motoko answered, hurrying across the lobby towards the stairs, ignoring the curious looks of numerous patrons in the midst of either checking in or heading out for dinner. "Now, they are on the third floor so it's only three flights of stairs."

"Awww man, can't we just take the lift?" Mitsune whined, legs ever-so-slightly wobbly. "We broke the sound barrier getting' here, sure we can't give it a few seconds more?"

A pair of glares was answer enough.

"Fine, fine. You go ahead, I'll be right behind ya." She wheezed, pushing her unwilling body to move despite its very strident protests.

It was a shame - if she had taken a few moments to rest she might have seen the trio stood half-hidden, watching from the half-open office doorway. As the silver Fox made her asthmatic way towards the stairs and began to ascend, the proprietress and Keitaro exchanged nods. Taking a final cautious glance towards the stairs Keitaro quickly stepped out into the lobby, Shinobu and Su in tow, and strode towards the exit.

-/-

Stumbling along the corridor, Mitsune was surprised to see the door still in one piece, and even more surprised to see that Naru was still outside it, her hand raised as if about to knock but unable to move the final few inches to actually strike the wooden surface.

"Are you alright Naru-san?" Motoko asked, frowning slightly.

"Yeah, I just...I don't know what I'm going to say to him..." The older girl replied, sagging as the flame which had possessed her for the last ten minutes was suddenly extinguished.

"I imagine that is not something one can truly prepare for." Motoko replied, glancing at Mitsune as the Fox dragged herself the remaining few feet.

"Yeah. Let's face it Naru-chan, it'll all go outta the window soon as ya set eyes on him." Seeing the hint of trembling in her friends shoulders, the girl placed a gentle hand upon one of them, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Just keep your temper, and it'll be fine. Betcha."

"Yeah..." Looking up at the number on the door before her, Naru sighed deeply. "Yeah. Let's get on with it." With that her knuckles gave two sharp raps upon the door, unconsciously holding her breath as she listened for movement on the other side. After twenty seconds of nothing, she shrugged and looked at her colleagues. "Motoko-san, you sure it's this room?"

"I am, Naru-san."

"Well we're not really getting' anywhere just stood around are we?" Mitsune sighed, reaching forwards and giving the handle an optimistic turn.

The door opened

"Ah, that was unexpected...well, after you, Naru-chan." Mitsune said, chuckling sheepishly.

"Hello? Keitaro-san?" Stepping inside, Naru felt her heart plummet as she saw no sign that anyone had been present for some time. Scanning across the apparently deserted room, Naru almost thought Motoko had been mistaken until her eyes alighted upon an envelope placed carefully upon the windowsill, pinned in place by a paperweight which, she realised with a sudden sinking of her heart, she recognised. Stepping over to the sill (ignoring Mitsune as she nudged past apparently scouring the room for clues) and picking the envelope up between numb fingers, the girl took in the 'Naru' adorning the front of the envelope with yet more dread easing into her consciousness.

Usually, if someone had something good to say, they did it in person...

"Hey, whatcha got there Naru-chan?" Mitsune asked, approaching her friend as her search came up empty.

"A letter..."

"Cool." Resting her elbows upon the windowsill and gazing out into the night, the older woman sighed. "I'm sorry Naru-chan, but it looks like we're too late."

"Yeah." Running her finger under the flap of the envelope, Naru lethargically tore it open.

"Well you never know, they might be ba..." A pause, a gasp, and suddenly Mitsune had grabbed Naru by the arm. "Naru, they're outside!"

"Wha?" Leaning out of the window, Naru's wide eyes took in the sight of Kaolla Su climbing semi-sedately into a taxi. Letting them drift away from the vehicle, they widened yet further at the sight of two figures stood side-by-side, the combination of mousy brown and light violet hair leaving no doubt as to their identities.

Suddenly, when she needed it most, Naru felt her voice fail her.

Mitsune had no such problems.

"Hey! Keitaro-kun, up here!" Slowly the pair four floors below turned to look up, but neither really meeting the fox's eyes.

Three pairs of eyes stared into each other, one honey, one violet, one brown.

"Keitaro..." It was barely more than a whisper, but Naru knew the man heard it. "Keitaro, please, don't let it end like this..."

For several long seconds silence hung heavily. Slowly, carefully, the man wrapped a warm arm around the shoulders of the girl stood at his side, a move which echoed with as much finality as the words he left drifting on the still evening air.

"Goodbye, Naru-san."

Naru barely noticed as Mitsune dashed from the room in a fruitless attempt at pursuit, as Motoko placed a hand upon her shoulder, as she sank to her knees in shock. All which existed in her world was the departing taxi, which carried away the one person she'd hoped wouldn't leave her again.

-/-

-/-

So...is that it?

…...No, it isn't. There's more to come, a fair bit if all goes to plan.

Please R&R if you have the time.

'Til next time!

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	12. Chapter 12a

Hi there, it's Nodoka here, at long last.

It's been a busy time, and for a while I honestly thought I would not finish this fic – I seemed to have lost the inclination to write, and the way things were panning out I think I would have ended up simply re-writing repercussions.

One Repercussions, I think, is more than enough.

However, after some recent positive feedback (and a couple of PMs which stunned me with their sincere praise) I took a good long look at what I had written, made a couple of tweaks and suddenly it seemed the fic was alive once again. Hence, the next three short chapters (which were initially going to be summation chapters before an epilogue) are instead going to be followed on by the rest of the story.

Big thanks to all those who wrote supportive or hopeful reviews, and especially to Zenithofhope whose PM finally got me moving once again. I hope that the coming chapters do not disappoint.

-/-

Parallel Lives – Chapter 12a

-/-

It was a sombre room to which Naru and Mitsune returned to that night, Motoko in tow. While none of the trio were really in the mood for a post-mortem, something had to be said if for no other reason than to break the silence which had settled in the room like frigid mist.

In truth the conversation was never likely to amount to much, what with Naru suspended in that strange place between disbelief and despair, where the mind escapes to when it is desperately trying to come to grips with something it really doesn't want to understand. However, sometimes elements occur which are so unexpected that they can't help but provoke discussion. Or a blazing row, depending on what had been revealed.

In this case, it was Motoko admitting she had known both what was going to occur earlier that night, and that she had a part in organising the charade.

It had taken strength Mitsune didn't know she had and then several glasses of strong sake to prevent Naru from first tearing the swordsmistress limb from limb, and then systematically destroying the room. As it was, the furious rant which followed resulted in the sound of someone hammering on the door and a semi-polite phone call from the management requesting that they decrease the volume level or else seek lodgings elsewhere.

"...Why?" The question had taken half an hour of sullen silence to arrive, and was spoken by the fuming Honey-ette as she slammed her fifth empty sake glass onto the bedside table.

"Yeah, I kinda want ta know myself." Narrowing her already narrowed eyes, Mitsune fixed them on Motoko. "So, are ya gonna tell us, or do I let Naru do what she'd been tryin' to do for most of the last hour?"

"I suppose you deserve at least an explanation..."

"Damn right we do!" Naru barked, topping her glass up with the handily placed bottle at her side.

"..." Motoko bit her lip to hold in her retort, remembering that her stock was low enough as it was at that moment in time. "I...decided that as my words had put me in a position where a satisfactory conclusion for all was an impossibility, I should pay the price for my indiscretion and face the consequences. Once I had made that decision, the channels of communication were opened, you could say."

"So you didn't know all along?" Naru probed, glare lifting like clouds after the downpour.

"No, I was in the dark much as you."

"It was Su." Snapping her fingers, Mitsune grimaced at how easily she had been tricked. "I knew somethin' was fishy about all this, she always seemed to be nudgin' us in directions which led to dead ends..."

"Indeed. Once I had sworn to her that I would do nothing to harm our wayward friends or disrupt their relationship, she was willing to allow me to make contact."

"Well that's nice an' all, but just 'cause you put yourself outta the runnin' it didn't give ya the right to take Naru with ya." Raising a sliver eyebrow, Mitsune almost snarled at the girl who she until recently had considered a friend. "Who the hell gave ya the permission to do that?"

"Keitaro did."

It was a quietly spoken statement, but it had the effect of evaporating the head of steam the fox had been building up.

"H-he said that?" Naru whispered limply from her seat, sake glass frozen in its ascent to her mouth.

"A few days ago I am sure I would not have listened to him, in fact I believe I would have simply put him in his place with both actions and words before dragging him back to the Hinata-sou to pass sentence. However...Shinobu...I did not realise the depth of her feeling for him, and his for her."

"Why should that matter? He's a failure and a pervert, Shinobu isn't safe with him alone. And besides that, she's just too young!" The protest was clichéd, wobbly and anything but honest. Needless to say, neither of the other girls believed a word.

"Naru-san, if you cannot be honest here and now, then what do you think would have happened if I led you to Keitaro the moment I had found him?" Motoko stated, steepling her fingers before her.

"But...I was ready. I _was_ going to tell him the truth..." Naru moaned, downing her latest shot of sake with barely a second thought.

"However, neither Keitaro nor Shinobu were ready to face you. They did not wish for you to search forever, but did not wish for a confrontation. Keitaro because he wasn't sure how you would react, and Shinobu because she knew exactly how _she _would react." With a sigh, Motoko shook her head slowly. "Also, once I promised Su I would do nothing to potentially harm their relationship my hands were tied. I have broken my word once, and it is not something I intend to repeat. Ever."

"..."

There was a lot that could be said, but Naru understood that words would simply be a waste of breath. Eventually she piped up in a tremulous warble, like a bird with a broken wing. "Did they...did Shinobu look happy?"

"Yes. They did." Motoko stated plainly.

"Oh..." Slumping back in her seat and staring deep into her empty glass, Naru tried her best to stoke the righteous anger which had been her friend and partner for years but found the hearth empty, the only remnants a few futilely glowing embers drowning in a sea of ashes.

Without it, the world seemed a colder place.

"I dunno what to do now." Mitsune shrugged, tapping restless fingers upon the table top. "I guess we could try an' track them down at the station..."

"It's obvious what we do now Kitsune-chan." Naru murmured quietly, eyes closing slowly in resignation.

"Naru-chan?" Her best friend watched with furrowed brow as the girl let her head sag ever-so-slightly. "Are ya sayin' what I think you're sayin'?"

A few seconds passed, all eyes fixed one the one seemingly admitting her defeat.

"What I'm saying is..." With an abruptness which made even Motoko jump Naru slammed a fist on the table, the fire in her eyes igniting with fresh fervour. "I don't care what anyone else says, I'm going to find those two and have it out with them. No-one, but no-one, dumps _me_ by letter!"

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Chapter 12b will be put up in the next few days.

Feedback appreciated as always!

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa


	13. Chapter 12b

Time for the next 'intermission' chapter.

It's taken longer than I thought to get this up, but better late than never. Many thanks to all those who reviewed after the last chapter, it's really heartening to see people haven't forgotten this fic and have even been waiting to see it concluded. I hope I don't disappoint.

So, on with the show.

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Parallel Lives - Chapter 12b

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Some people may have been surprised by the destination of the travelling trio. The first response when running is to simply get as far away as possible, be it north or south, east or west, and not stop until you run out of breath or land. However, when the ones running take the time to stop and think about what they're doing, they suddenly realise that a single mile is good as a thousand when those searching has no idea which way they have run.

So, while it would be tempting to get the first flight to Okinawa, the fact Naru and company had no clue where they were going to go meant they could, in fact, take their pick where they would go first.

Hence, when all the circumstances were considered, Su's first choice of destination was obvious.

The Hinata-sou.

"I have to say I'm surprised to see you back." Haruka commented around a cigarette, arms folded casually on the dining table. "I thought I'd either see you bound in chains or not at all."

"Nah. First rule of hide an' seek is to go where the seeker started." Su grinned, waving exuberant arms at the room at large. "No way they'll be back here tonight. 'Sides, if they do think about comin' back Motoko's gonna give us a heads-up."

"Fair enough." Taking a puff of tar-laden nicotine, Haruka raised a single eyebrow. "Still seems like a bit of an odd choice, though."

"It's got benefits. Gives me a chance to load up on stuff, an' Shinobu to pack up more tablets ready for a long trip."

"At two in the morning?"

"Gotta love train timetables."

"Right." Stubbing out her cigarette, Haruka weighed up smoking another before deciding any more nicotine would rule out a return to the blissful unconsciousness she should have been experiencing at such an unholy time of the morning.

"We're done." Keitaro's voice floated down the stairway, followed by the man himself and subsequently a drowsy-looking Shinobu. "Packed up some extras, so we should be good to go once the sun comes up."

"That's good to hear and all, but why did you have to disturb my sleep just to pack some more bags? I've got a café to run in the morning you know." Haruka groused, the bags beneath her eyes rivalling those Keitaro carried in his hands.

"I thought it was polite to let you know we were here. Otherwise you might have come to investigate when you saw lights on – the last time you thought there was a burglar in the Hinata-sou you caused fifty-thousand yen worth of property damage."

"Hmph." Wishing wholeheartedly that she could have another cigarette, the elder Urashima turned a glare on her 'nephew'. "Su-chan here was telling me about what's been going on. Don't you think that setting Naru up like that was, oh, I don't know, a _little_ bit harsh?"

"I wanted her to know that it was all over..."

"You could've phoned her. Sent a messenger. Taken her out for a commiseration coffee. Instead of waving your new girlfriend in your ex's face..."

"It was nothing less than she deserved!" Anyone less composed than Haruka would almost certainly have jumped. As it was, Shinobu's outburst still managed to send a jolt through the woman's normally impeccably controlled nerves.

"How so Shinobu-chan?"

"You need to ask? You must have known the hell she was putting Kei-kun through, treating him like dirt, playing with him like a toy! You're saying that after all of that what we did to her was unfair?" Taking a deep breath, Shinobu let her eyes drop to the table top, voice growing meek as the magnesium flare of her indignation expired sudden as it had begun. "I know...that we could have maybe done things better, I know we could've left without a trace. But I wanted to show her! Show her that because of her hard-headedness she'd lost him! If we hadn't she'd never believe it was true, and the moment we came back she'd have tried to take her 'rightful' place and treated Keitaro as her own. I. Won't. Let. Her."

"Shinobu-chan..." Keitaro breathed, still finding himself stunned by the passion in his diminutive friends' voice.

"She's right Haruka." Su put in, voice unnervingly calm. "I came up with the idea, the others just went along with it. Naru needed proof, not just something second-hand. Shinobu-chan wrote her a letter, they even spoke on the phone and made their position clear, but she still decided to chase them all the way to Sapporo because she thought it was her right. What's to say that would've changed?"

"..." In truth, Haruka wasn't entirely displeased Naru had received some form of comeuppance. In fact, at times the elder Urashima had thought of doing far, far worse when she saw her 'Nephew' being pushed closer and closer to the edge. All the same, it was hard for her not to have a little sympathy for Naru, especially having witnessed the way the girl reacted when the blindfold she'd worn had finally slipped a little.

Slowly eyeing up the earnest three before her, the café owner stifled a sigh. There was little she could say or do to change anyone's mind, and when she honestly considered the situation she didn't want to either.

"Fine. So, where are you going now? And don't insult me by questioning my ability to keep secrets."

The flush on Shinobu's face revealed she'd been about to do just that.

"Okinawa." It was Su who answered, which was thankful as the other two really didn't have a clue. "Going back up towards Hokkaido would just be asking for trouble – and when you're going on tour where better to start than the best holiday spot in the country?"

"And money? A world tour of Japan isn't exactly cheap."

"I've got that covered." Seeing a raised eyebrow on Haruka's face, Su shrugged. "To be honest Haruka, the Molmol royal family is so rich it could buy this place a thousand times over and still have money to furnish it. In gold." Looking down, the girl let out a very-un-Su-like sigh, thumbs twiddling idly. "It'll only be for six months. That's my time limit, I have to return to Molmol to take up my duties by the end of that time - I want to see the world, or at least the Japanese parts of it before I haven't got a choice any more. Plus, it gives my best friends the chance to see if they have a future together."

Seemingly appeased, Haruka went back to discussing details with the 'happy couple' as she had christened them while Su looked on, smile still conspicuously absent. Yes, the girl was happy to accompany her friends, and wouldn't have chosen otherwise for all the money in Molmol. But it would still be a little bittersweet...while she wanted the pair to be happy and together, the liking she had for a certain person would probably not be going anywhere in a hurry.

In truth, for Su the trip wasn't purely to see if Keitaro and Shinobu had a future together.

It was to see if they could have some sort of future together with _her_...

"So that's settled then. We leave in the morning."

Returning to the world around her, Su saw resolution firm in the faces of her friends, and something approaching satisfaction on Haruka's.

"I wish you the very best of luck. All of you." The elder Urashima stated, reclining back in her seat with arms folded. "However, I will now be going back to bed. And if anyone here thinks about awakening me again, they will be departing in an ambulance. If they're lucky."

"Message received." Su deadpanned, mock-saluting as Haruka made her way from the room with a sizeable yawn. The remaining three sat quietly for a few moments, silent forms lit harshly by the glow of electric bulbs humming gently in the silence which lives only between the dusk and the dawn.

"Let's get a couple of hours, then." Keitaro murmured, stiffly raising himself from the sofa and stretching his back to the tune of several clicks. "Set the alarms for six AM, okay?

"What are you telling me for? We'll both hear the same one..." Shinobu trailed off as she seized her beloved's arm, cheeks colouring as she did so.

"Just remember this time, the 'snooze' button is not the same as the 'off' button." Su chirruped, a sly grin on her face. Judging by the expression on Keitaro's face, he hadn't forgotten that incident either.

"Su-chan...thanks. For everything, I really mean it. Without you..." Trailing off, the ex-Kanrinin of the Hinata-sou turned to the girl still attached to his right arm and ran a hand through her violet hair, smile unconsciously rising upon his mouth as he did so. "Thanks so much. We owe you our chance, and it's thanks to you." With that, Keitaro and Shinobu paced sedately up the stairway, followed almost as sedately by Su – who had decided to wring every last bit of sleep from the night she possibly could.

Come morning, it was time for her to leave everything behind again. For possibly the last time.

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Part 12c should be up within the week.

'Til next time,

Nodoka Miyazawa.


	14. Chapter 12c

Time for part 3 of the 'intermission'.

Thanks to all those who have picked up the fic again after such a long time, it's great to know this hasn't been forgotten. And also welcome to new readers who have only now encountered this fic; I really do hope it is something you are enjoying.

Nothing more need be said, on with the show.

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Parallel Lives – Chapter 12c

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Motoko watched the world slowing gradually through the window, and bit back a shudder as the electronic voice echoing through the carriage announced the imminent arrival of the train into Kyoto station. Steeling herself she sat, her gaze unwavering, viewing the hauntingly familiar scenery as it decelerated beyond the carriage window. Inwardly she almost sneered at her pose – sat as she was with blade on lap despite being one who had long ago decided that the weapon was now present in name only, a paradigm of the art which she would once use at the merest provocation.

The girl knew now that any further acts of violence which culminated in the drawing of her blade would do little but strike another nail into her coffin, a coffin which already bore enough shame to carry her deep beneath the topsoil and down into a grave she no doubt deserved.

Yes, Motoko knew she deserved the punishment her family would doubtless heap upon her raven-tressed head. Yet, in the same moment, the young lady could not and would not deny the accusations which would be flung her way, be it by words or bow and arrow or rifle.

It would be no more, or less, than she deserved.

She was supposed to be a swordsmistress, a lady of honour, a woman beyond reproach and far above the everyday judgement with which the common people may consider their daily dealings. Yet somehow, the blinding presence of a simple man, a human with one Y-chromosome too many, had left a change in both her philosophy and life which was nothing less than crippling. To not only owe a man, a male, a filthy perverse example of that which was base within humanity...But to actually wish to submit to the aforementioned man's will and become a woman, a wife! One whose perceived role in life was simply to submit.

No, she could not. She would not...

Yet why was the very idea one she did not abhor, nay actively desire?

Motoko had the semblance of an idea that now, possibly, husband and wife were no longer tied to the master and subservient role they once were. But the very idea, to in any way shape or form to give herself to a man, to any man...

To allow a man to actually become a part of her, both emotionally and physically...

To allow a man entrance into herself, to give herself in a way which could never be repealed...and know forever that another had knowledge of such intimacy.

No. She could not do it. Not now.

And not merely because the idea made something indescribable awaken in her stomach, something which provoked fear and desire in equal measure. There was also the small fact that the one with whom she could possibly take such a step with belonged to another.

The heir to the Aoyama school had considered herself to be a person of honour, although this was an idea which had taken almost terminal damage in recent days. However, despite her wounded honour, Motoko could not see herself trying to take Keitaro for her own. Not now.

The night her world had changed beyond recognition Motoko had said little beyond her admission of guilt to Naru and Kitsune. And then she had simply sat and watched, as if naught but an ornament, at what had followed.

What had followed was some of the most wanton greed that she had ever witnessed, and much to her shock, it came from the mouths of fellow women whom she had previously considered above reproach. It was not the tactical planning which sparked such emotions – in fact, some of it was really quite well considered at times. Naru was not a Tokyo University student for nothing, and Mitsune had not earned her 'Fox' tag through having sharp teeth and a russet tail.

The truly surprising, and possibly astonishing thing to Motoko was the way the pair spoke about their house-mates. Their _friends._ At more than one point the word 'thief' slipped almost unbidden into words spoken about Shinobu – the one girl who was quite possibly beyond criticism. In much the same manner the term 'traitor' was dropped into the conversation involving Su as if the scheming pair were discussing a stranger...and while Naru in particular was bound to be angry, it saddened the silent onlooker deeply that such words would be said even in the midst of fury.

But what saddened Motoko the greatest was the way the pair talked of Keitaro. To Mitsune it merely seemed to be about the hunt, plots and schemes of varying morality yet all common in that the end was worth almost any means, even if the means could mean the end of the end.

By that point in the evening (well, night) Motoko's sense of logic had taken a thorough beating, before being shredded, run through a food processor, mixed with oatmeal and turned into sausages. But the worst was yet to come – and it inevitably came from the waspish tongue of a honey-ette who had almost certainly drunk more sake than her friend – a friend who had already been well tempered in the furnace of alcohol over many years. The dwindling ashes of Naru's temper stoked by the aforementioned sake (and a hearty slice of guilt, something Naru was never good at coping with) had led to the inevitable.

A rant.

No, in fact it was a Rant – one deserving of the capitalisation, and nearing block capitals.

Now this in itself was not unusual, the girl in question being one not to suffer in silence - some of the terms she had used to refer to her elusive Kanrinin were at best derogatory and at times downright insulting. Yet to Motoko the most chilling aspect of all was that every reference inferred not only disdain, but possession. Naru spoke as if she _owned_Keitaro, and that he should be damn well honoured that she would stoop to do so.

After an hour or so Motoko could take no more and hurried back to her room without so much as a goodbye, slamming the door behind her and dropping boneless to the bed without the slightest intention to sleep. The girl had never meditated face-down on a bed before – grace being paramount in her world – but at that moment she simply did not care. In any case, what was taking place was far from meditation. It was meltdown.

Over the previous days she had seen her principles and ideals first shaken, then actively dismantled, piece by piece. However, from the moment she had reached the Hinata-sou, there was one other house-mate she respected as a kindred spirit with the same mind, the same view on the world and those living within it. To suddenly hear that same young lady speak as she had always imagined a man would, words of possession and superiority, words of...perversion.

At that very moment, Motoko knew she could stay at the Hinata-sou no longer – not until she had somehow found her balance once more, until she could really see the world as it was. Such an irony, that living outside the shelters of of her ancestral home had merely skewed her perception of the world beyond yet further.

Which was precisely why she was returning home. To admit her sins and accept her punishment, as she could now see what it was possible for her to become should she choose the course of denial and follow it to its inevitable end.

Which was a precipice far higher and more deadly than any the truth could bring.

Motoko was jolted from her thoughts by, ironically enough, a jolt. Olive eyes blinking, the girl brought into focus a sign proclaiming the platform beyond the carriage to be one of the many which made up Kyoto station. With a soft sigh overwhelmed by the pneumatic hiss of doors opening Motoko stood and squared her shoulders, setting her jaw in defiance while cursing the betrayal of her sweating palms, the white knuckles of the hand clutching Shisui as if it were her only lifeline.

Time to face the music. And somehow she doubted the tune would be to her liking.

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Well, it'll be on with the 'regular' chapters from here on in.

Hope to see you soon!

Nodoka Miyazawa


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